Chemical, and ecological and scale problems with ocean fertilization Several unknowns over oceanic fertilization’s ability to sustain an effective sequestration of Carbon, and concerns that CDR methods would severely impact aquatic ecosystems lead to convincing arguments against its implementation. Perhaps even reversing the predicted effects, ocean fertilization may deplete dissolved oxygen, thereby influencing release greenhouse gasses such as methane1. More uncertainty exists in whether bursts of induced productivity might impact aquatic plant communities by changing vegetative distributions. Experimenters in New Zealand found that ratios of actual sequestered amounts of Carbon to Iron amounts involved in the up and downwelling solution …show more content…
Evidence shows that experimentation, though previously tried on a small scale, involves almost insurmountable logistics including tens of scientists, ships, helicopters, expensive monitoring equipment, and time. And with governments’ and scientific institutions’ investments not appearing to back these intensive experimental trials, iron fertilization strategies may not be truly carried out for years. Then, placement of Iron additions must maximize the benefits of nutrient additions without having negative impacts on the ecosystem. For example, experts recommend the Southern Ocean because of its unique nutrient conditions that make Iron additions significant while maximizing the downwelling of Carbon. Massive blooms of phytoplankton sometimes drift miles from intended locations with potentially adverse effects in other ocean areas. Also, strange currents may negate the strategy’s effectiveness by downwelling fertilizations which lose their ability to collect sunlight. Geoengineering solves massive climate problems in theory although it proves faulty in areas of practical experimentation and comprehensive research. Terms need defining, methods need proving, and negative