By encouraging phytoplankton to bloom biological productivity is increased and carbon dioxide may be prevented from entering the atmosphere.
Contributors to the Theory of Iron Fertilization
The theory of Iron fertilization was first proposed by English biologist Joseph Hart in the 1930s but nothing further occurred until the 1980’s when oceanographer John Martin indicated in his marine water nutrient analyses that a shortage of iron was responsible for the decrease in phytoplankton growth which caused desolation to occur in certain regions of the ocean. The third contributor to the theory of iron fertilization was environmental scientist Andrew Watson who analyzed the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinataubo in the Philippines. This analysis demonstrated that the addition of iron dust into the world’s oceans caused a global reduction in the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and an increase in oxygen levels.
Ocean Iron Fertilization Small Scale Experiments
There have been at least twelve experiments to date to try and determine if iron fertilization would work. These experiments include:
- Ironex 1 occurred near the Galapgos Islands in 1993
- Ironex II occurred in 1995
- Southern Ocean Release Experiment (SOIREE) occurred in 1999
- EisonEX (Iron Experiment) occurred in 2000
- Subarctic Pacific Ocean for Ecosystem Dynamics Study (SEEDS) occurred in 2001
- Southern Ocean Iron Experiments North & South (SoFex) occurred in 2002
- Subarctic Ecosystem Response to Iron Enrichment Study (SERIES) occurred in 2002
- SEEDS II occurred in 2004
- European Iron Fertilization Experiment (EIFEX) occurred in 2004
- CROZet natural and iron bloom and export experiment (CROZEX) occurred in 2005
- LOHAFEX occurred in 2009
Possible Problems With Ocean Iron Fertilization
There have been a number of possible problems pointed out by critics of ocean iron fertilization as a solution to greenhouse gases. These problems include:
- tiny grazers eat the phytoplankton bloom causing the food chain to come into effect which makes carbon dioxide go back into the atmosphere
- according to Hugh Powell's article "Fertilizing the Ocean with Iron" only twenty to fifty percent of carbon dioxide will be prevented from going back into the atmosphere
- other changes would occur in the ocean such as the loss of some nutrients needed by the phytoplankton to grow, changes in fish stocks and whale populations, reduction of oxygen in the oceans and an increase in nitrous oxide and methane.
Further Research Into Ocean Iron Fertilization
Because all of the experiments to date have been on a small scale and have shown a number of possible problems with iron fertilization many scientists would like to initiate moderate scale experiments in order to better understand the risks and benefits associated with iron fertilization. However, such experiments are more likely to be done by private companies such as Climos and Planktos Science which are trying to find some means of combating the effects of greenhouse gases than by government agencies due to funding and legal issues.
Sources
Climos.com website
Planktos Science.com website
Powell Hugh. "Fertilizing the Ocean with Iron" August 21, 2009. http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=34167
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