The fight against climate change has prompted researchers to explore innovative solutions for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). A Dartmouth-led study introduces a promising method involving zooplankton and their natural behaviours to sequester carbon deep within the ocean. This technique aligns with global goals for sustainability, climate action, and environmental protection, offering a novel way to address the carbon problem and combat climate change effectively.
The biological pump: Nature’s tool for carbon sequestration
The ocean’s biological pump naturally captures and stores carbon. Algae blooms, vast marine phenomena spanning hundreds of miles, absorb approximately 150 billion tonnes of CO2 annually, converting it into organic particulates. However, much of this carbon re-enters the atmosphere when marine bacteria decompose the particulates. The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, highlights a method to enhance this process by using clay dust to transform the carbon particulates into sticky pellets that zooplankton consume, digest, and expel as carbon-laden faeces at deeper ocean depths.
The method taps into zooplankton's role in the marine ecosystem, leveraging their feeding and digestion cycles to increase the efficiency of carbon storage. Laboratory experiments showed that clay-treated water captured up to 50% of the carbon released from algae blooms, significantly reducing carbon re-emission and increasing the concentration of sinking organic particles tenfold.
Harnessing zooplankton: The unsung heroes of climate action
Zooplankton, measuring just three-hundredths of an inch, play an essential role in this process through their diel vertical migration. These tiny creatures ascend from deep waters to feed at the surface under the cover of darkness, returning to the depths at daybreak. By integrating clay flocs into their diet, zooplankton expedite carbon transport, with their faeces sinking hundreds of metres below the surface, where carbon can remain stored for millennia.
The study underscores that marine snow, a natural cascade of organic matter to the ocean floor, can be enhanced through this technique. Clay-laden faeces and uneaten flocs accumulate additional carbon as they descend, making the biological pump more effective at mitigating CO2 levels.
While the findings are promising, the researchers emphasise the need for careful implementation. Spraying clay dust must be targeted to specific oceanographic settings to ensure efficiency and avoid unintended ecological impacts. Mukul Sharma, the study’s lead researcher, plans to conduct field tests along the Southern California coast to refine deployment strategies.
This method demonstrates the importance of global collaboration in tackling climate change. The interdisciplinary research team spans institutions from Dartmouth to Sorbonne University, underscoring the value of collective expertise in advancing scientific innovation for a sustainable future.
The technique aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those addressing climate action, sustainability, and peace and justice. Enhancing the ocean’s natural processes contributes to a global society committed to mitigating the climate crisis while protecting marine ecosystems.
The way forward
This groundbreaking approach offers a scalable method to address CO2 emissions and highlights the significance of investing in innovative science for environmental protection. The integration of natural marine behaviours with cutting-edge research exemplifies the potential for humanity to create solutions that balance ecological integrity with climate action.
This article reflects the ongoing pursuit of solutions to the climate crisis, underscoring the importance of global collaboration in achieving a sustainable and equitable future.
For more information about this initiative and related efforts in sustainability, visit the United Nations SDG Climate Action page.
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Related article: https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/is-plankton-poop-the-climate-crisis-unlikeliest-hero/