Two essential ways to address a problem, one is look at symptoms and treat them and the other to look at the root cause and address that. So also in climate change. We can either look at ways in which to cut our emissions or seek ways to offset the change by geo-engineering the ecosystem.
The recent Indo-German experiment Lohafex sought to fertilise the ocean with iron oxides which could lead to increased algal growth which could then absorb the carbon dioxide. The verdict so far is one of failure.
In the experiment, researchers fertilized a 300 square kilometer patch of the ocean, which saw a burst of algal growth. For long-term sequestration to work, enough of that algae would have to sink to the bottom of the ocean.
However, within two weeks the algae were being eaten by copepods, which then were eaten by amphipods. The result being that far less carbon dioxide made its way to the sea floor than had been anticipated.
The next step would be to see how to keep the copepods away!! Which could well present yet another problem to which we respond with yet another experiment from the labs.
An unending quest as we struggle to understand the complex eco-biosystem that sustains life on earth.
Would it not be much easier to look at ways we can cut our emissions?
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