Ocean Fertilisation
Ocean fertilisation is a proposed method for removing atmospheric carbon dioxide by adding nutrients to the ocean to stimulate phytoplankton growth, which absorbs carbon through photosynthesis. When these phytoplankton die, some of the carbon they contain sinks to the ocean floor, potentially storing it for long periods and helping to mitigate climate change. While this method shows promise for rapid implementation and supporting marine biodiversity, there are concerns about its potential negative impacts on marine ecosystems, such as nutrient depletion and reduced dissolved oxygen levels.
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What is Ocean Fertilisation?
Ocean fertilisation is a proposed method for removing greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere by stimulating the growth of phytoplankton in the ocean. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that grow near the surface of the ocean and their growth is naturally limited by the availability of nutrients key to their development, such as iron, nitrogen or phosphorus.
Just like plants on land, phytoplankton need these nutrients to grow and thrive. As they grow, they take in carbon dioxide from the air and surrounding seawater to use in photosynthesis. A rapid increase in phytoplankton numbers could be achieved by artificially adding these nutrients to select areas of the ocean using a large fleet of vessels.
How does it remove carbon?
When these nutrients are added to the ocean, they act as fertilisers, creating large “phytoplankton blooms”. Once the phytoplankton die or are consumed by other marine organisms, some of the carbon they’ve absorbed throughout their lifetime will be transferred to the deep ocean as the organic matter (dead phytoplankton or the organisms consuming them) sinks to the ocean floor. It’s thought that a significant portion of the carbon contained within this organic matter will remain on the ocean floor, eventually being converted into sedimentary rock. This process effectively stores carbon away from the atmosphere for long periods, helping to address climate change.
Potential Impacts
Ocean fertilisation doesn’t require land and can be implemented relatively quickly, so holds promise relative to other greenhouse gas removal approaches. In addition to capturing carbon dioxide, ocean fertilization can have other beneficial effects; phytoplankton are an essential food source for various marine organisms, so their growth could support local biodiversity and allow marine ecosystems to recover from depletion.
However, concerns have been raised over potential negative impacts of ocean fertilisation. Phytoplankton blooms could reduce the available nutrients for other species, whilst their decomposition could decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water (which is essential for marine life). In some trial studies, ocean fertilisation led to changes in the relative abundance of different phytoplankton species, which could have unintended consequences on marine ecosystems.
What is Ocean Fertilisation?
Ocean fertilisation is a proposed method for removing greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere by stimulating the growth of phytoplankton in the ocean. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that grow near the surface of the ocean and their growth is naturally limited by the availability of nutrients key to their development, such as iron, nitrogen or phosphorus.
Just like plants on land, phytoplankton need these nutrients to grow and thrive. As they grow, they take in carbon dioxide from the air and surrounding seawater to use in photosynthesis. A rapid increase in phytoplankton numbers could be achieved by artificially adding these nutrients to select areas of the ocean using a large fleet of vessels.
How does it remove carbon?
When these nutrients are added to the ocean, they act as fertilisers, creating large “phytoplankton blooms”. Once the phytoplankton die or are consumed by other marine organisms, some of the carbon they’ve absorbed throughout their lifetime will be transferred to the deep ocean as the organic matter (dead phytoplankton or the organisms consuming them) sinks to the ocean floor. It’s thought that a significant portion of the carbon contained within this organic matter will remain on the ocean floor, eventually being converted into sedimentary rock. This process effectively stores carbon away from the atmosphere for long periods, helping to address climate change.
Potential Impacts
Ocean fertilisation doesn’t require land and can be implemented relatively quickly, so holds promise relative to other greenhouse gas removal approaches. In addition to capturing carbon dioxide, ocean fertilization can have other beneficial effects; phytoplankton are an essential food source for various marine organisms, so their growth could support local biodiversity and allow marine ecosystems to recover from depletion.
However, concerns have been raised over potential negative impacts of ocean fertilisation. Phytoplankton blooms could reduce the available nutrients for other species, whilst their decomposition could decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water (which is essential for marine life). In some trial studies, ocean fertilisation led to changes in the relative abundance of different phytoplankton species, which could have unintended consequences on marine ecosystems.
What is Ocean Fertilisation?
Ocean fertilisation is a proposed method for removing greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere by stimulating the growth of phytoplankton in the ocean. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that grow near the surface of the ocean and their growth is naturally limited by the availability of nutrients key to their development, such as iron, nitrogen or phosphorus.
Just like plants on land, phytoplankton need these nutrients to grow and thrive. As they grow, they take in carbon dioxide from the air and surrounding seawater to use in photosynthesis. A rapid increase in phytoplankton numbers could be achieved by artificially adding these nutrients to select areas of the ocean using a large fleet of vessels.
How does it remove carbon?
When these nutrients are added to the ocean, they act as fertilisers, creating large “phytoplankton blooms”. Once the phytoplankton die or are consumed by other marine organisms, some of the carbon they’ve absorbed throughout their lifetime will be transferred to the deep ocean as the organic matter (dead phytoplankton or the organisms consuming them) sinks to the ocean floor. It’s thought that a significant portion of the carbon contained within this organic matter will remain on the ocean floor, eventually being converted into sedimentary rock. This process effectively stores carbon away from the atmosphere for long periods, helping to address climate change.
Potential Impacts
Ocean fertilisation doesn’t require land and can be implemented relatively quickly, so holds promise relative to other greenhouse gas removal approaches. In addition to capturing carbon dioxide, ocean fertilization can have other beneficial effects; phytoplankton are an essential food source for various marine organisms, so their growth could support local biodiversity and allow marine ecosystems to recover from depletion.
However, concerns have been raised over potential negative impacts of ocean fertilisation. Phytoplankton blooms could reduce the available nutrients for other species, whilst their decomposition could decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water (which is essential for marine life). In some trial studies, ocean fertilisation led to changes in the relative abundance of different phytoplankton species, which could have unintended consequences on marine ecosystems.
What is Ocean Fertilisation?
Ocean fertilisation is a proposed method for removing greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere by stimulating the growth of phytoplankton in the ocean. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that grow near the surface of the ocean and their growth is naturally limited by the availability of nutrients key to their development, such as iron, nitrogen or phosphorus.
Just like plants on land, phytoplankton need these nutrients to grow and thrive. As they grow, they take in carbon dioxide from the air and surrounding seawater to use in photosynthesis. A rapid increase in phytoplankton numbers could be achieved by artificially adding these nutrients to select areas of the ocean using a large fleet of vessels.
How does it remove carbon?
When these nutrients are added to the ocean, they act as fertilisers, creating large “phytoplankton blooms”. Once the phytoplankton die or are consumed by other marine organisms, some of the carbon they’ve absorbed throughout their lifetime will be transferred to the deep ocean as the organic matter (dead phytoplankton or the organisms consuming them) sinks to the ocean floor. It’s thought that a significant portion of the carbon contained within this organic matter will remain on the ocean floor, eventually being converted into sedimentary rock. This process effectively stores carbon away from the atmosphere for long periods, helping to address climate change.
Potential Impacts
Ocean fertilisation doesn’t require land and can be implemented relatively quickly, so holds promise relative to other greenhouse gas removal approaches. In addition to capturing carbon dioxide, ocean fertilization can have other beneficial effects; phytoplankton are an essential food source for various marine organisms, so their growth could support local biodiversity and allow marine ecosystems to recover from depletion.
However, concerns have been raised over potential negative impacts of ocean fertilisation. Phytoplankton blooms could reduce the available nutrients for other species, whilst their decomposition could decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water (which is essential for marine life). In some trial studies, ocean fertilisation led to changes in the relative abundance of different phytoplankton species, which could have unintended consequences on marine ecosystems.
