Fertilizing+the+Oceans

Your topic is on the proposal to "fertilize the oceans" to help deal with increased CO2 levels.
 * Group participants:** Rachel Murad, Tyler Hall, Riley Neel (did not participate), Greener

 Preliminary Grade- Organization 4 /5 Looks good, you should have brought that photosynthesis equation up to the top! Climate change explanation 9 /10 Exlain that graph! Oceanography explanation 13 /15 Looks good, bring that equation up to the top, and explain it! you could also should have included the idea of a "limiting factor" for algae growth. Diagram/connection to text 9 /10 Relate the top one to the text! Overall 35/40

Good start! Try to include- A diagram of how co2 affects climate? why fertilize with iron? what is so special about iron? where do they propose to fertilize? what would adding iron do? what are the algae that they have looked at? can you find a study where they tested it? how would that relate to co2? how would it help to decrease co2 levels? are they shooting to take co2 out of the atmosphere? -Swanson

Concentration of CO2 in Mauna Loa Observatory Area monitored by year: 


 * __Fertilizing the Oceans__**

Every time you turn on your car, start a fire, use coal generated power, even breathe, you are directly or indirectly releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. CO2, Scientists believe, is a major cause of global warming, creating a blanketing greenhouse effect that traps the sun's rays, in turn warming the atmosphere. As the earth's CO2 levels rise due to human activity, the world's scientists are looking for new and extreme ways to solve this quickly growing issue. One possible solution to this global crisis is fertilizing the oceans artificially with Iron. This iron produces a bloom of fast growing algae, that in turn takes CO2 from the atmosphere, both reducing CO2 levels, and lessening the atmosphere's greenhouse effect. Algae has been proven to efficiently and successfully eradicate CO2 from the atmosphere, using it during its photosynthesis process.

When shreds of iron are dropped into the ocean, it stimulates the growth of a certain plankton that uses CO2 as it's photosynthesis source. Iron makes plankton bloom quickly as found by Planktos in 2002 by an experiment lead with iron shavings given to Planktos by Neil Young(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3298069/Mass-dump-of-iron-filings-to-remove-CO2.html ) When this Plankton decomposes, the algae travels to the bottom of the ocean with the CO2. This new discovery makes for high carbon trading opportunities. Russ George, a CEO for Planktos is basing his business in Foster City, CA. His two competitors, Climos and GreenSeaVenture have not put much information out for the public. The US isn't known for it's carbon trading business and many countries are ahead in the running. In 2006 there were $30 billion worth of credits traded and it was suspected to at least double in '07. Planktos sells 1-ton carbon credits for $5. Some are against the process because they say the water can move the decomposed algae back up with the help of the currents. Planktos CEO explained that the solution was to filter the water at 1000 feet using a 1500 ft hose and bottles. Once the CO2 hits 1000 feet it is stored long term. David Kubiak, a spokesperson for Planktos claims that 1000 feet stores it for decades, 1500 ft stores it for centuries and 3000 ft can take a millennium to travel back to the surface. Side effects like oxygen depletion overproduction of nitrogen and production of carbonic acid are unwelcome. Planktos isn't worried about the side effects because they believe the iron shavings are just like organic rock that stimulates the plankton population naturally and they are just helping it speed up so that the CO2 level can be reduced faster.(http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/06/01/100050969/index.htm and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3298069/Mass-dump-of-iron-filings-to-remove-CO2.html )   (http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/03/29/23/319-7W30CARBON.xlgraphic.prod_affiliate.4.jpg)  **Other Side effects:**  The reason of fertilization by iron is to increase the amount of marine biology and phytoplankton concentration, and because of this there are many possible side effects. While the plankton goes through its normal phase of decomposition it uses up oxygen in the water. In case of low oxygen events marine life could suffer and die off over time. Also its a concern of how iron fertilization effects the other dissolved nutrients in the water. When plankton grows it takes in these nutrients like CO2 but they also take in the ones that are needed for other species to survive. Another lingering question is how it will effect us in the long run. It is yet to be known how the CO2 that was stored in the sea by the plankton would impact us in the long run after its stayed down there for a millennium as stated above. (http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=35668) <span style="color: rgb(10,11,36);">**So, why is Iron so important for photosynthesis that it creates large algae blooms?** Iron is important for plants because without iron, one of the main essential elements, plants would not be able to perform photosynthesis and couldnt grow. Iron in a micronutrient that has a major effect on the reaction of light in photosythesis. Thus, the more iron the more growth.


 * Past experiment**  The equitorial area of the Eastern Pacific Ocean is recorded as one of three ocean regions with limited biomass of phytoplankton even though this area is high in nitrate and phosphate nutrients and should thrive in those nutrients. In '93 a small region of this area was marked and there was iron shavings dropped in to see the effect. The photosynthesis was stimulated but the monitoring couldn't garantee all the 'help' was from the iron shavings. The test was repeated in 1995 over a period of 8 days. In this case the phytoplankton level increased quickly and therefore lowered the CO2 level on the surface. (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v383/n6600/abs/383508a0.html)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(6,6,9);">"...Photosynthesis essentially splits carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon (in the form of organics) and oxygen (O2)...    <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">  The Chemical equation for the process: 6CO2 + 6H2O � <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2 <span style="color: rgb(255,11,5);">(can you explain this? and how it relates)     <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The process is very long and complicated, but in a simple sense, electrons need to be transferred from the oxygen atoms of the CO2 to the carbon atoms of the CO2, leaving behind oxygen and organic molecules. It is iron which in part facilitates this process..." (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">