Potential Risks of Ocean Iron Fertilization Include Harmful Algal Blooms
[done] Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) has emerged as a contentious geoengineering technique aimed at enhancing the ocean's biological carbon pump to combat climate change. By introducing iron to iron-deficient regions of the ocean, proponents aim to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, which absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and eventually sequester it in the deep ocean as they die and sink. While this approach holds promise, it is fraught with potential ecological risks that could far outweigh its benefits. Among these risks are the proliferation of harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
One of the unintended consequences of OIF could be the stimulation of harmful algal species. While the primary intention is to boost benign phytoplankton populations, the nutrient influx may also favor the growth of toxin-producing algae. HABs pose significant risks not only to marine life but also to human health and economic activities such as fisheries. These blooms can produce neurotoxins that accumulate in the food web, affecting fish, marine mammals, seabirds, and humans who consume contaminated seafood.1234
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Footnotes
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Boyd, P. W., et al. (2000). A mesoscale phytoplankton bloom in the polar Southern Ocean stimulated by iron fertilization. Nature, 407, 695-702. https://doi.org/10.1038/35037500 ↩
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Anderson, D. M., et al. (2002). Harmful algal blooms and eutrophication: Nutrient sources, composition, and consequences. Estuaries, 25(4b), 704-726. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02804901 ↩
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Garrison, D. L., et al. (2010). Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia bloom, Santa Barbara Channel, California, spring 2007. Harmful Algae, 9(3), 326-336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2009.12.005 ↩
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NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.). Toxic algal bloom affecting California sea lions and dolphins. NOAA Fisheries. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/toxic-algal-bloom-affecting-california-sea-lions-and-dolphins (Accessed on 08/14/2024) ↩