Ready for some good news regarding global warming?

Question

"The ocean's plankton can suck up far more airborne carbon dioxide (CO2) than previously realised, although the marine ecoystem may suffer damage if this happens, a new study into global warming says."

http://green.yahoo.com/news/afp/20071111/sc_afp/scienceclimatewarmingocean.html

So there's some good news - the tipping point where ocean CO2 absorption becomes a positive feedback appears to be further off than we expected. Unfortunately, this CO2 absorption also causes ocean acidification.

"Another concern is that rising levels of dissolved CO2 also causes acidification of seawater. Wildlife such as coral, which secretes a skeletal structure, are known to be affected by acidification but the impact on other marine species is largely unknown."

At least there's some good news though. Any thoughts on the impact of this finding on climate change as a whole?

Answer 1

This is not new science. It is foolish to extrapolate the results from a Norwegian fjord globally because conditions vary. There are several inter-related factors involved, of which CO2 is just one. Small changes in temperature can amplify algal growth and radically change the dominant species in favour of blue-green cyano-bacteria. BG algae are not edible for many grazers. More storms will increase turbidity and act as a negative feedback. Compare for, example satellite images of the north basin (low turbidity) and south basin (high turbidity) of Lake Winnipeg. An increase in CO2 will not necessarily lead to an increase in algae if changes in ocean currents reduce the availability of other nutrients. Most of the algae grows in shallow coastal waters. When algae sinks to the bottom it feeds benthic organisms and decays. If too much algae falls, the system is eutrophic and the benthic community collapses. The eutrophication process can take decades. A eutrophic sea is more likely to be a carbon source than a sink. Only jellyfish with thrive. If you want to consider the effect of algae on GW, consider the effect over decades to centuries. The study in Nature is just a start and it is premature to draw sweeping conclusions.

Answer 2

Hmm, that's interesting. It raises another interesting question as well. The skeptics don't accept that humans are able to affect the climate, but what about the effects of ocean acidification brought about by increased CO2 levels?

Ooh, maybe I'll have to ask that.

Answer 3

The acidification of our oceans should be another reason for us to why we should cut down on our CO2 emissions. Global warming deniers often says more CO2 is good for life. This is one example proving it doesn't always have to be.

Global warming is a very serious issue, but it's unfortunately not the only serious environmental problem. If the oceans can absorb more CO2 than previously thought we shouldn't take this as an excuse for not acting and decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions.

"Ocean Acidification, the Other Threat of Rising CO2 Emissions": http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/245

Answer 4

Yes it is good news. Apparently plankton are taking in CO2 and storing it on the ocean floor for millions of years.

It's almost too good to be true. I don't follow what were those plankton doing before the industrial revolution? If these plankton are so good at sequesting CO2, why didn't they take all the CO2 from the sea and sequest it on the ocean floor long ago?

Answer 5

Another reason for us to do less, not more.

Just shows that there is much yet to learn, that we still have very little understanding of how the climate works. With more knowledge, we may even ask ourselves how did we ever believe that man could extract unlimited amounts of resources and return unlimited amounts of waste to the environment and expect that there would be no consequence. What fools we are! The sheer scale of our mass delusion is staggering!

Answer 6

I still don't give a hoot about these natural processes and normal changes in climate that have been going on for millions of years. The only difference about this particular cycle of warming is that the planet never had such a loud group of chicken littles before.

Answer 7

It reminds me of a line I heard in a movie once: "How do you want it, the knife or the gun?"

If marine CO2 absorption happens slower the atmosphere pays for it, if it happens faster the marine ecosystem pays for it. I wouldn't call either scenario good news.

That the deniers use this as a rallying point just proves they have no clue of what they speak. Let's hope it isn't used to convince people that dumping iron filings into the ocean is a good idea.

Answer 8

i've got lived in Ohio all my existence (presently 33y.o.), and that i've got observed a metamorphosis. The summers look appropriate to the comparable, however the winters have been plenty milder that final decade - decade and a a million/2.

Answer 9

Good news, but how do you get the CO2 into the water?

Answer 10

That is good news but our discovery of it didn't start the process, did it? The fact that GW is increasing anyway-does that mean the plankton are already overworked?