Discover how marine food webs adapt to rising alkalinity in a groundbreaking experiment using KOSMOS mesocosms. These large containers submerge into seawater, isolating specific water columns for research purposes.
The ocean’s ability to absorb man-made CO2 emissions plays a crucial role in our ecosystem. By increasing seawater alkalinity through mineral additions like carbonates and silicates, we can enhance CO2 absorption without causing further acidification.
Despite its potential benefits, there is limited research on Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) and its environmental impacts. Scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have conducted an experiment off Gran Canaria to study zooplankton responses and food web implications.
The study’s findings, published in Science Advances today, highlight the importance of moderate perturbations in seawater chemistry. The CO₂-equilibrated Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement approach allows for controlled carbon dioxide removal (CDR) before releasing alkalized water back into the marine environment.
Using KOSMOS mesocosms, researchers manipulated sodium carbonate and bicarbonate concentrations to observe varying intensities of CO2-equilibrated OAE effects on marine ecosystems.
2024-12-06 15:15:02
Source from phys.org
