Why is iron important in the ocean?

In some oceans, algae growth and reproduction is limited by the amount of iron. Iron is a vital micronutrient for phytoplankton growth and photosynthesis that has historically been delivered to the pelagic sea by dust storms from arid lands.

What happens if you add iron to the ocean?

Adding iron to the ocean can cause blooms of algae, which have the potential to take huge amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air and by so doing, cool the planet.

Is iron fertilization good for the sea?

“According to our framework, iron fertilization cannot have a significant overall effect on the amount of carbon in the ocean because the total amount of iron that microbes need is already just right,” Jonathan Lauderdale, an oceanographer and the report’s lead author, said in a press release.

How does iron seeding work?

The premise is actually simple. Iron acts as a fertilizer for many plants, and some, like the phytoplankton that form the base of the marine food web, need it to grow. Adding iron to the water stimulates phytoplankton growth, which in turn gobble up carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.

How does iron get into the ocean?

Iron fertilization is a completely natural phenomenon. For example, iron-rich dust from deserts is blown to the sea by the wind. Iron also enters the oceans with the meltwater of icebergs or by contact of the water with iron-rich sediments on the sea floor.

Where does iron come from in ocean?

Most of the iron in the ocean comes from dust blown off deserts, or from rivers that discharge into the sea.

Why is iron not abundant in the ocean?

In principle, there is no lack of iron on Earth as the metal is one of the most abundant elements in Earth’s crust. However in the ocean, dissolved iron is very rare, since it reacts rapidly with oxygen forming iron minerals which are poorly soluble and therefore unavailable for organisms.

Where does iron come from in the ocean?

What is the concept behind fertilization of the ocean with iron?

Micronutrient fertilization refers to the addition of growth-limiting micronutrients such as iron to the surface ocean to stimulate phytoplankton production, which is expected to increase photosynthesis and remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

Is there iron in the ocean?

In roughly a third of the ocean, iron is so rare that its absence can hinder the growth of diatoms and other phytoplankton. The Southern Ocean, where Martin developed his hypothesis, is one of the most “iron-limited” oceans in the world.

Is iron soluble in ocean water?

The availability of iron in ocean waters is predominately limited by the solubility of Fe(III) (Johnson et al., 1997). These results clearly show that the solubility in seawater (0.2 to 0.3 nM) is much higher than in NaCl solutions (0.010 nM) at the same pH, temperature and ionic strength.

Is there iron in ocean water?

Seawater contains approximately 1-3 ppb of iron. The amount varies strongly, and is different in the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. Rivers contain approximately 0.5-1 ppm of iron, and groundwater contains 100 ppm. Drinking water may not contain more than 200 ppb of iron.

What is ocean iron fertilization?

Iron fertilization. Iron fertilization is the intentional introduction of iron to iron-poor areas of the ocean surface to stimulate phytoplankton production. This is intended to enhance biological productivity and/or accelerate carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration from the atmosphere.

What is ocean seeding?

Ocean Seeding – A New Technology that can Save Marine Life. Ocean Seeding is a new technology that can catalyze the ocean back to health, recover fish stocks and ensure sustainability for the growing populations of the world.

What is iron seeding?

Iron seeding of oceans involves adding iron to an area of an ocean at a depth which is close to the sea surface. In the upper layer of the sea there are a large number of tiny creatures which are mostly too small to see called phytoplankton .