Phytoplankton+to+capture+carbon

Geoengineering - This page covers Geoengineering topics and the general subject.

__**Phytoplankton Key Terms : **__ 1) Phytoplankton - refers to aquatic floating type of plants found in water. They are hard to be found due to it´s small size, unless there is a group of plants gathered together. It contains a greenish color, due to the effects of photosynthesis.

2) Algal Blooms - rapid increase of the algae population in an aquatic area. It may occur in fresh water or in marine environment. Algae blossoms are generally stimulated by iron that are thrown in ocean, helping the rise of CO2.

3) Carbon emissions - carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, which is produced by vehicles and industrial processes.

4) Biomass - plant material and animal waste used as fuel.

5) Ocean fertilization - the adding of nutrients to the surface water from oceans. It triggers the growth of marine plants by taking carbon dioxide to grow. This method is considered to be one of the lnewest technologies in carbon dioxide "sequestration". Ocean fertilization is a geoengineering technique that enhances the rate of the atmosphere CO2.

__**"Another challenge to confront with geoengineering: Ocean plankton toxins" **__
Current Event - Ariticle. Published: November 10th, 2010

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This article covers the several critiques of geoengineering in the climate. One of the geoengineering tools is fertilizing the ocean with iron, when dealing with phytoplankton. This idea had been delevelop in 1990 by John Martin. Iron is able to fertilize the ocean because of the micronutrients ( like zinc and iron) are limiting to the growth of phytoplankton in ocean. The dumping of iron in ocean has stimulated algal blooms and helped the rise of CO2.

__**How can Phytoplankton Help? **__ Phytoplankton is autotrophic components of small organisms that drift in water. They are mostly too small to be seen in Open Ocean, or clearly. Phytoplankton is able to obtain energy thorough photosynthesis and makes plants live in lit surface layer of the lake, sea or ocean. It is also responsible for a big part of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere, and their energy fixation in carbon compounds are responsible for the freshwater food chains. One of the most abundant phytoplankton are diatoms that is made up of about 20,000 species and makes plant groups. They contain micro spots of protoplasm structures with silica. These holes in the plant’s shells permit nutrients to absorb and exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen in the seawater. They are easily reproduced, since a single diatom is able to reproduce 100 million offspring per month. The ones who are not eaten die and their shells settle to the bottom of the ocean. They sometimes go up to 700 feet thick of “skeletal” remains. Phytoplankton are involved in some of the best-known geo-engineering methods. The iron fertilization is also ocean nourishment that stimulates natural processes already existed in Earth. It removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it easier to oxygen to spread around. Studies has proven that when feeding phytoplankton with large quantities of iron, it is able to stimulate the plankton’s growth and cause it’s blossoms and also increase the amount of carbon dioxide that can be removed from atmosphere from photosynthesis.



Sources : <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://seedsofdistraction.blogspot.com.br/2011/08/geo-engineering-wednesday-fantastic.html <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/p/phytoplankton.htm <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">[]

__**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">John Martin **__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">The fertilization with iron in seas was first tested by John Martin in 1993. His hypothesis was that “feeding” the ocean surface with iron would make marine organisms multiply, like the microscopic diatoms. It would consequently cool the planet, due to the larger number of phytoplankton. John wanted to test this experience because whenever phytoplankton grows they absorb carbon dioxide in water and then gas goes out in the air. A small amount of iron would made a big effect in the planet, and as Martin said, "Give me a half a tanker of iron and I'll give you the next ice age". John Martin had help of many other scientists, including Dick Barber of Duke University. They collected 1.5 million dollars to do the research and pay for the experiments. Many people admired him, and even began to call the scientist Johnny Iron Seed or Iron Man. However, there were also those who believed his idea was an ecological disaster and could be a dangerous method of geo engineering. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">include component="comments" page="Phytoplankton to capture carbon" limit="10"