TY - JOUR
T1 - Plankton food web structure and productivity under ocean alkalinity enhancement
AU - Sánchez, Nicolás
AU - Goldenberg, Silvan U.
AU - Brüggemann, Daniel
AU - Jaspers, Cornelia
AU - Taucher, Jan
AU - Riebesell, Ulf
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a nature-based technology for CO2 removal and storage, but little is known about its environmental safety. We tested a CO2-equilibrated OAE deployment in a close-to-natural community using in situ mesocosms in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic and assessed metazoan zooplankton to inform about food web stability, structure, and production. In addition, a literature review complemented experimental results by summarizing physiological responses of marine animals to decreasing proton concentrations, or increased pH. The food web studied proved resistant, and zooplankton physiologically tolerant, to the OAE tested. We observed short-term effects of OAE on zooplankton reproduction and productivity, which were likely trophically mediated. Yet, these did not affect zooplankton populations or their nutritional value as food for fish. Our study demonstrates an environmentally safe OAE application, but also stresses the risks of more intense OAE options, and the vulnerabilities of other marine ecosystems.
AB - Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a nature-based technology for CO2 removal and storage, but little is known about its environmental safety. We tested a CO2-equilibrated OAE deployment in a close-to-natural community using in situ mesocosms in the oligotrophic subtropical North Atlantic and assessed metazoan zooplankton to inform about food web stability, structure, and production. In addition, a literature review complemented experimental results by summarizing physiological responses of marine animals to decreasing proton concentrations, or increased pH. The food web studied proved resistant, and zooplankton physiologically tolerant, to the OAE tested. We observed short-term effects of OAE on zooplankton reproduction and productivity, which were likely trophically mediated. Yet, these did not affect zooplankton populations or their nutritional value as food for fish. Our study demonstrates an environmentally safe OAE application, but also stresses the risks of more intense OAE options, and the vulnerabilities of other marine ecosystems.
U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.ado0264
DO - 10.1126/sciadv.ado0264
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 39642213
SN - 2375-2548
VL - 10
JO - Science Advances
JF - Science Advances
IS - 49
M1 - eado026412
ER -