Hakai Institute's Integrated Research Capacity: Place-based Research to Advance Climate Change Resiliency

Marine stations occupy a unique position at the intersection of long-term observation, experimental capacity, and community engagement. The Hakai Institute's coastal observatories in British Columbia (BC) exemplify how this combination can address pressing ocean change challenges across three interconnected examples: oceanographic and biological observation, ocean acidification and alkalinity enhancement research, and biobanking.Hakai Institute maintains the longest coastal pCO₂ record in western Canada alongside distributed marine biodiversity monitoring throughout the Canadian Salish Sea through the Hakai-led Sentinels of Change program. This observational foundation, and the deep understanding of local environmental conditions and ecosystem dynamics it provides, directly informs and motivates Hakai Institute's experimental research.Hakai Institute's Wet Lab mesocosm facility has been central to understanding how BC's marine organisms respond to acidifying conditions, exploring biological sensitivity and resilience across taxa and life stages from kelp and shellfish to fish. A dedicated alkalinity-manipulation system, developed from pioneering work decoupling carbonate parameters, enables precise ocean acidification experimentation and is now well-positioned to evaluate the biological impacts of ocean alkalinity enhancement, expanding the facility's role from characterizing the problem to assessing proposed solutions. This expertise has translated directly into policy: Hakai Institute played a leading role in developing BC's Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Action Plan and contributed to BC Seafood Climate Ready projects supporting community and fisheries adaptation.The same commitment to connecting science with community needs extends to seaweed biobanking. BC's kelp ecosystems are ecologically vital and foundational to First Nations economies and culture, yet face climate-driven seed shortages and genetic erosion. A new initiative to sequence existing kelp cultures and establish a decentralized, open-access biobank network will support restoration and sustainable aquaculture, empowering communities to steward species under pressure.Together, these efforts demonstrate how marine stations can drive integrated solutions spanning discovery, restoration, and governance.