An Assessment of the Potential Value for Climate Remediation of Ocean Calcifiers in Sequestration of Atmospheric Carbon

Abstract

Today’s marine calcifiers (coccolithophore algae, Foraminifera [protists], Mollusca, Crustacea, Anthozoa [corals], Echinodermata) remove carbon dioxide (CO 2) from the atmosphere, converting it into solid calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) which is stable for geological periods of time. These organisms could serve as a biotechnological carbon capture and storage mechanism to control climate change. Two criticisms made about this are: (i) ocean acidification has allegedly been shown to cause reduced shell formation in calcifiers; (ii) the calcification reaction that precipitates CaCO 3 crystals into the shells is alleged to return CO 2 to the atmosphere. In this review we assess the evidence concerning such criticisms and find reasons to doubt both. Experiments showing that ocean acidification is damaging to calcifiers have all used experimental pH levels that are not projected to be reached in the oceans until the next century or later; today’s oceans, despite recent changes, are alkaline in pH. Claiming precipitation of CaCO 3 during calcification as a net source of CO 2 to the atmosphere is an oversimplification of ocean chemistry that is true only in open water environments. Living calcifiers do not carry out the calcification reaction in an open water environment in equilibrium with the atmosphere. The chemistry that we know as life takes place on the surfaces of enzymatic polypeptides, within organelles that have phospholipid membranes, contained in a cell enclosed within another phospholipid bilayer membrane specifically to isolate the chemistry of life from the open water environment. Ignoring what is known about the biology, physiology, and molecular cell biology of living organisms, calcifiers of all types especially, leads to erroneous conclusions and deficient advice about the potential for biotechnology to contribute to atmosphere remediation. We conclude that the world’s aquaculture industries already operate the biotechnology that, with massive and immediate global expansion, can contribute to sustainably controlling atmospheric CO 2 levels at reasonable cost and with several positive benefits in addition to carbon sequestration.

Sounding out maerl sediment thickness: an integrated data approach

“…This links a wider range of abiotic data that might be suitable at large scale, to a multitude of biotic data, ecosystem service value, accreditation criteria, and carbon credit value based on adaptive valuation 7 . Alternatively, latent variables could be structured to determine whether the maerl habitat acts as a carbon source or sink 11 , 21 , with temperature 16 and pH 64 known to be key factors.…”

Planetary Bioengineering on Earth to Return and Maintain the Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide to Pre-Industrial Levels: Assessing Potential Mechanisms

“…For several decades, this interpretation has influenced scientific advice about the biotechnological potential of calcifying organisms for permanent carbon sequestration, and, indeed, has removed them from consideration by the carbon offset markets. Our interpretation of the open water chemistry of calcification can be found in our recent preprint [85]. The number and range of reactions taking place in the atmosphere and ocean is enormous, so reactions 1 and 2 (above) only describe a minute proportion of this total and alternative schemes are inevitably simplified and bounded by approximations.…”

“…Ignoring what is known about the biology, physiology, and molecular cell biology of living organisms, calcifiers of all types especially, leads to erroneous conclusions and deficient advice about the potential for calcifier biotechnology to contribute to atmosphere remediation [85]. www.videleaf.com…”