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Iron fertilization is the intentional introduction of iron to the upper ocean to increase the marine food chain and to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It involves encouraging the growth of marine phytoplankton blooms by physically distributing microscopic iron particles in otherwise nutrient rich, but iron deficient blue ocean waters. An increasing number of ocean labs, scientists and businesses are exploring it as a means to revive declining plankton populations, restore healthy levels of marine productivity and/or sequester millions of tons of CO2 to slow down global warming. Since 1993, ten international research teams have completed relatively small-scale ocean trials demonstrating the effect.
History
Consideration of iron's importance to phytoplankton growth and photosynthesis dates back to the 1930s when English biologist Joseph Hart speculated that the ocean's great "desolate zones" (areas apparently rich in nutrients, but lacking in plankton activity or other sea life) might simply be iron deficient. Little further scientific discussion of this issue was recorded until the 1980s, when oceanographer John Martin renewed controversy on the topic with his marine water nutrient analyses. His studies indicated it was indeed a scarcity of iron micronutrient that was limiting phytoplankton growth and overall productivity in these "desolate" regions, which came to be called "High Nutrient, Low Chlorophyll" (HNLC) zones.
Martin's famous 1991 quip at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, "Give me a half a tanker of iron and I will give you another ice age," vernacularized a decade of research findings that suggested iron deficiency was not merely impacting ocean ecosystems, it also offered a key to mitigating climate change as well. Martin hypothesized that restoring high levels of plankton photosynthesis could slow or even reverse global warming by sequestering enormous volumes of CO2 in the sea. He died shortly thereafter during preparations for Ironex I , a proof of concept research voyage, which was successfully carried out near the Galapagos Islands in 1993 by his colleagues at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. Since then 9 other international ocean trials have confirmed the iron fertilization effect:
Perhaps the most dramatic vindication of Martin's hypothesis was seen in the aftermath of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. Environmental scientist Andrew Watson analyzed global data from that eruption and calculated that it deposited approximately 40,000 tons of iron dust into the oceans worldwide. This single fertilization event generated an easily observed global decline in atmospheric CO2 and a parallel pulsed increase in oxygen levels.
Motivations
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There are several key issues fueling interest in this technology, including ecological, climatic and financial concerns.
Ecological issues
NASA and NOAA recently reported that since the early 1980s marine phytoplankton populations have declined by over 20% in the Pacific Ocean and 6~9% globally. Since these plankton constitute the base of the entire marine food pyramid, their declining numbers mean less nourishment for all other marine species. This relationship was dramatized by the great plankton dieoff along America's Pacific Coast in the summer of 2005 that littered California beaches with thousands of fish and seabirds that had starved to death.
Marine Food WebMost concerning, the southern ocean krill populations that feed directly on phytoplankton have plummeted nearly 80% over the same period. These small crustaceans are the primary food for penguins, other seabirds, many commercially important fisheries, and the most endangered whale species. Ocean scientists from Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute have in fact suggested that a large scale plankton restoration program in the cetacean nursery zones of the southern ocean could help return the krill-dependent great baleen whales (blue, humpback, gray, right, etc.) to healthy levels again in 10~20 years. This could also potentially benefit fisheries.
Besides recharging the marine food chain, iron-catalyzed plankton restoration could help reduce ocean surface acidification that has increased tenfold in the last two decades threatening the integrity of diatoms, foraminifera, coral and other creatures with acid-vulnerable carbonate skeletons. (Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide increase concentrations of carbonic acid in surface waters, but phytoplankton blooms absorb large volumes of CO2 during photosynthesis and help buffer the acidity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_fertilization
I've always joked around about kill the whales who feed on phytoplankton and no more global warming, but to go on a more serious note, I'm interetsed to hear the opinions of others.
I don't understand why iron fertilization hasn't been pursued more seriously and the possibilities, which I happen to agree with, in the preservation of phytoplankton by the protection of Baleen whales, and the theory of the iron depleted areas of the ocean lacking what's needed to increase the phytoplankton populations, along with mandating some fisheries that have had it's own hand in the declining numbers of species whom feed on krill, crustaceans who's main food source is that of phytoplankton...
What are some of your thoughts?
Iron fertilization
Iron fertilization
That was interesting K., thanks for sharing it.
...it also offered a key to mitigating climate change as well. Martin hypothesized that restoring high levels of plankton photosynthesis could slow or even reverse global warming by sequestering enormous volumes of CO2 in the sea.
We need iron in our bodies, to perform efficiently and so it makes sense to say that the sea needs to be nutrient-rich (in many minerals, including iron) in order to be productive (of phytoplankton and for other sealife).
You should forward your notes to Richard Branson as he is offering rewards for ideas for improving our carbon emissions.
As a side note: there was once a huge area of ironstone on the seabed just off the south coast, at a place called Hengistbury Head. In the 19th & early 20th centuries, builders mined all the ironstone and used it in building work as it is strong and resilient. However, they didn't realise that the ironstone also prevented coastal erosion (not that they even knew what that was then!) Once the ironstone had been mined coastal erosion kicked in with a vengeance.
I expect ironstone was mined from the sea elsewhere as well, which is probably one cause of the current iron-deficiency in the seawater.
Ironstone nodules on the beach at Hengistbury Head.
The relief model of Hengistbury Head in the Red House Museum at Christchurch, Dorset.
This is the Head as it used to be. The dotted line on the model shows you the present location of the cliff. The disappearing headland is a consequence of human activity over the past few centuries, in particular the removal of ironstone boulders from the shore, cliff and seabed here and further west around the bay. In the relatively near future, this entire headland will be entirely eroded back into the sea. This will then cause Christchurch Harbour to disappear and the town of Christchurch will be sitting on the coastline and also begin to suffer from coastal erosion as a knock-on effect.
...it also offered a key to mitigating climate change as well. Martin hypothesized that restoring high levels of plankton photosynthesis could slow or even reverse global warming by sequestering enormous volumes of CO2 in the sea.
We need iron in our bodies, to perform efficiently and so it makes sense to say that the sea needs to be nutrient-rich (in many minerals, including iron) in order to be productive (of phytoplankton and for other sealife).
You should forward your notes to Richard Branson as he is offering rewards for ideas for improving our carbon emissions.
As a side note: there was once a huge area of ironstone on the seabed just off the south coast, at a place called Hengistbury Head. In the 19th & early 20th centuries, builders mined all the ironstone and used it in building work as it is strong and resilient. However, they didn't realise that the ironstone also prevented coastal erosion (not that they even knew what that was then!) Once the ironstone had been mined coastal erosion kicked in with a vengeance.
I expect ironstone was mined from the sea elsewhere as well, which is probably one cause of the current iron-deficiency in the seawater.
Ironstone nodules on the beach at Hengistbury Head.
The relief model of Hengistbury Head in the Red House Museum at Christchurch, Dorset.
This is the Head as it used to be. The dotted line on the model shows you the present location of the cliff. The disappearing headland is a consequence of human activity over the past few centuries, in particular the removal of ironstone boulders from the shore, cliff and seabed here and further west around the bay. In the relatively near future, this entire headland will be entirely eroded back into the sea. This will then cause Christchurch Harbour to disappear and the town of Christchurch will be sitting on the coastline and also begin to suffer from coastal erosion as a knock-on effect.