The Greening of the Ocean - The Invisible Garden
1. Introduction
Expedition Menu
1. Introduction
2. Dead Zones
3. HABS
4.
CO2 and Ocean
5. Ocean Acidification
6. The History
7. Iron Expedition
8. Departure
9. To the Study Site
10. Iron Mixture
11. Fertilization
12. Sampling
13. Lab Work
14. Tracking the Patch
15. Trapping Particles
16. The Results
17. Human Response
If Necessary, Download Expedition
Worksheet
from Course Workbook
Many materials pertaining to the SOFeX expedition were used by the permission of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. We thank Dr. Kenneth Coale for allowing the use of these materials.
Chorethron centric diatom from South
Patch (bar is 100 micrometers)
(credit: Karen Selph-University of Hawaii)
Welco
Welcome back!
We will now look at phytoplankton in dead zones, harmful algal blooms and the role of phytoplankton in absorbing carbon dioxide and influence climate.
We will next join the SOFeX to test the "iron hypothesis" -- an intriguing speculation on engineering climate change by stimulating phytoplankton blooms.
Learning Objective: Students will learn about the role played by microscopic organisms, phytoplankon, in the health of the ocean and global climate, in general. Next, students will learn about the potential of the disposal of carbon dioxide, CO2, in the deep waters of the ocean, a process known as carbon sequestration. Students will then join a virtual research voyage to the Southern Ocean to study the effects of iron fertilization on phytoplankton populations and its relationship to the carbon cycle and carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere. Finally, in a required discussion, students will critically assess the scientific and ethical merits of geoengineering the ocean to address the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The importance of single-celled organisms!
Images from Diatoms of the California Current System
Contact Don Reed
Dept. of Geology
San José State University
©Copyright 2007
Last Updated on April 4, 2007