Oceans help manage the carbon in the atmosphere by locking it away. Climate scientists have sought ways to accurately track this process in their efforts to understand our changing environment. That task has proved difficult — until now. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, a number of technological advancements can provide the data researchers are looking for.
The carbon cycle is a planet-wide process that involves oceans, land, living things, and our atmosphere. Oceans cover 71% of the planet, which means their role in this cycle is tremendous. They absorb massive amounts of carbon, and marine organisms then convert it into biological matter that eventually becomes deep ocean sediment. That sediment can remain there for millions of years.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute teamed up with a group of researchers from Florida State University to monitor this key aspect of the carbon cycle. To do so, they utilized an array of datasets from all over the scientific map and leveraged advanced tech at MBARI's Station M research site.
The team's biggest issue is that previous monitoring technology could capture only the ocean's surface, and Station M collects its data over decades. To solve this riddle, it developed a new satellite-derived model that considers multiple factors, including carbon-consuming plankton movement and ocean currents.
According to the researchers' study, this new monitoring system offers a more accurate, comprehensive picture of the ocean's role in the carbon cycle.
"We urgently need tools to monitor the ocean-carbon connection on a global scale. By leveraging diverse sets of data, we've identified a new path forward to improve carbon export estimates from space," said Monique Messié, an MBARI research specialist and the study's lead author.
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This development may be tremendously beneficial to both humanity and the planet. Research shows that microplastics are altering the ocean's ability to absorb carbon. Understanding how the carbon absorption process works may help us address this issue.
Another recent development may offer another solution. Ocean researchers believe that marine bacteria may be able to store carbon. This not only broadens our understanding of the ocean's role in the carbon cycle but also presents a path toward maintaining that cycle and protecting our planet.
If you want to protect our oceans, reducing your use of plastics and lowering your emissions by upgrading to clean energy sources is a great and cost-effective way to start.
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