Drifting Antarctic icebergs may reduce CO2 levels
Just as we were all worrying about the world collapsing around us, new research has discovered that icebergs that break away from Antarctica and float away may offset carbon emissions. I hope some people don’t use this as an excuse to avoid living more ethical lifestyles.
American scientists have stated that floating icebergs that have detached from Antarctic shelves, due to climate change, contain nutrients that they discharge into the sea as they melt. This will apparently sustain seabirds, krill, fish and phytoplankton over a distance of two miles, surrounding each iceberg.
The phytoplankton maintained by the icebergs absorbs CO2 from the water surrounding it, according to the research. This could potentially mean that oceans will have the ability to absorb more CO2 than was originally thought. An example of this is the Southern Ocean’s Weddell Sea, where researchers have found around 1,000 icebergs, raising biological productivity in around 40% of the Weddell Sea.
The study concentrated on two icebergs, up to 13 miles wide and 40 metres high. The scientists are intending to conduct more studies over the next couple of years.
Could this be a part of the solution to the raising CO2 levels in the atmosphere? I’m not going to hold my breath just yet.
