History Ocean fertilization

1 history

1.1 ironex i
1.2 eisenex
1.3 planktos
1.4 lohafex
1.5 2012
1.6 haida gwaii project

history

john martin, director of moss landing marine laboratories, hypothesized low levels of phytoplankton in these regions due lack of iron. test hypothesis (known iron hypothesis) arranged experiment using samples of clean water antarctica. iron added of these samples. after several days phytoplankton in samples added iron grew more in untreated samples. led martin speculate increased iron concentrations in oceans partly explain past ice ages.

ironex i

this experiment followed larger field experiment (ironex i) 445 kg of iron added patch of ocean near galápagos islands. levels of phytoplankton increased 3 times in experimental area. success of experiment , others led proposals use technique remove carbon dioxide atmosphere.

eisenex

in 2000 , 2004, iron sulfate discharged eisenex. 10 20 percent of resulting algal bloom died , sank sea floor.

planktos

planktos company abandoned plans conduct 6 iron fertilzation cruises 2007 2009, each of have dissolved 100 tons of iron on 10,000 km area of ocean. ship weatherbird ii refused entry port of las palmas in canary islands take on provisions , scientific equipment.

lohafex

lohafex experiment initiated german federal ministry of research , carried out german alfred wegener institute (awi) in 2009 study fertilization in south atlantic. india involved.

as part of experiment, german research vessel polarstern deposited 6 tons of ferrous sulfate in area of 300 square kilometers. expected material distribute through upper 15 metres (49 ft) of water , trigger algal bloom. significant part of carbon dioxide dissolved in sea water bound emerging bloom , sink ocean floor.

the federal environment ministry called experiment halt, partly because environmentalists predicted damage marine plants. others predicted long-term effects not detectable during short-term observation or encourage large-scale ecosystem manipulation.

2012

a 2012 study deposited iron fertilizer in eddy near antarctica. resulting algal bloom sent significant amount of carbon deep ocean, expected remain centuries millennia. eddy chosen because offered largely self-contained test system.

as of day 24 nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus , silicic acid diatoms use construct shells, declined. dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations reduced below equilibrium atmospheric co

2. in surface water, particulate organic matter (algal remains) including silica and chlorophyll increased.

after day 24, however, particulate matter fell between 100 metres (330 ft) ocean floor. each iron atom converted @ least 13,000 carbon atoms algae. @ least half of organic matter sank below, 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

haida gwaii project

in july 2012, haida salmon restoration corporation dispersed 100 short tons (91 t) of iron sulphate dust pacific ocean several hundred miles west of islands of haida gwaii. old massett village council financed action salmon enhancement project $2.5 million in village funds. concept formerly iron-deficient waters produce more phytoplankton in turn serve pasture feed salmon. then-ceo russ george hoped sell carbon offsets recover costs. project accompanied charges of unscientific procedures , recklessness. george contended 100 tons negligible compared naturally enters ocean.

some environmentalists called dumping blatant violation of 2 international moratoria. george said old massett village council , lawyers approved effort , @ least 7 canadian agencies aware of it.

according george, 2013 salmon runs increased 50 million 226 million fish. however, many experts contend changes in fishery stocks since 2012 cannot attributed 2012 iron fertilization; many factors contribute predictive models, , data experiment considered of questionable scientific value.

on 15 july 2014, data gathered during project made publicly available under odbl license.