Australian Dust Storms Feed Life Explosion

Australian Dust Storms Feed Life Explosion

dsc.discovery.com

Oct. 7, 2009 -- The red dust storm that dumped thousands of tons of soil across eastern Australia two weeks ago has caused an explosion in microscopic life in Sydney Harbor and beyond.

Researchers analyzing the impact say the finding validates plans to increase fish stocks to feed some of the world's poorest people using ocean fertilization.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Measurements taken at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science on the harbor's north shore show a tripling of microscopic plant life, or phytoplankton, at the Chowder Bay site and in samples taken 10 kilometers off shore.

The scientists measure the presence of phytoplankton using remote sensing technology that can detect chlorophyll in the plants, which form the base of the ocean food chain.

Jones said phytoplankton needs nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate to grow, nutrients that are scarce in what he calls Australia's "desert" ocean waters, but were abundant in the topsoil that blew across the country.

Wow! Looks like another "global warming" problem is also a lifeline for marine organisms. Just goes to show that the scientific opinion about the Earth's Atmospheric processes are subjective. It's bad, but it's good...

dsc.discovery.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm shamelessly bumping this. I can't believe that no one is on this. There has been much discussion as to using artificial methods to reproduce this affect as a method of sequestering carbon.

no takers, and I'll let it go

reply to post by Aggie Man


The dust storm wasnt due to global warming

Its started just west of here...guess where I live? In the desert...deserts are supposed to be dry

Nice thread though, very interesting on how the dust has increased marine life

Originally posted by OzWeatherman
reply to post by Aggie Man

 

The dust storm wasnt due to global warming

Its started just west of here...guess where I live? In the desert...deserts are supposed to be dry

Nice thread though, very interesting on how the dust has increased marine life

No, no....you got me wrong OZ. I am NOT an advocate of global warming...I personally think it's BS. BUT, here in the states, the media was selling the dust storm as a result of global warming...not me. I'm simply saying that what one person calls global warming, another person calls a blessing! That's all.

[edit on 7-10-2009 by Aggie Man]

reply to post by Aggie Man


Hi
interesting find.It did not take the scientists long to discover this
amazing that microscopic plant life can triple in a just few weeks

They want to inject 2.5 tons of urea into the ocean to increase the amount of phytoplankton in a controlled area.
He said a continuously nourished patch of water about 20 kilometers in diameter could double the income of artisan fishermen in countries such as Morocco, and provide a constant source of protein to local people.

"All this while storing 10 million tons per year of carbon dioxide in the deep ocean," he said.

smart man this Mr Jones.


Thanks

Ocker
edit to say star and flag I found this very interesting

[edit on 7/10/2009 by ocker]

reply to post by ocker


Thank you! I think, and have thought, that replicating this same affect through artificial means would be of benefit....although, if global warming is BS and we do this on a grand scale, we could potentially cool the planet off too much and throw us into an unnatural ice age....but I doubt it.