Investigating the effect of silicate- and calcium-based ocean alkalinity enhancement on diatom silicification

Aaron Ferderer; Kai Schulz; Ulf Riebesell; Kirralee Baker; Zanna Chase; Lennart Bach

doi:10.5194/bg-21-2777-2024

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Investigating the effect of silicate- and calcium-based ocean alkalinity enhancement on diatom silicification

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Investigating the effect of silicate- and calcium-based ocean alkalinity enhancement on diatom silicification

Aaron Ferderer, Kai Schulz, Ulf Riebesell, Kirralee Baker, Zanna Chase and Lennart Bach

Biogeosciences, Vol.21(11), pp.2777-2794

12/06/2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2777-2024

Appears in Recent Faculty of Science and Engineering Publications

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Abstract

Gigatonne-scale atmospheric carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will almost certainly be needed to supplement the emission reductions required to keep global warming between 1.5–2 °C. Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is an emerging marine CDR method with the addition of pulverised minerals to the surface ocean being one widely considered approach. A concern of this approach is the potential for dissolution products released from minerals to impact phytoplankton communities. We conducted an experiment with 10 pelagic mesocosms (M1–M10) in Raunefjorden, Bergen, Norway, to assess the implications of simulated silicate- and calcium-based mineral OAE on a coastal plankton community. Five mesocosms (M1, M3, M5, M7, and M9) were enriched with silicate (∼ 75 µmol L-1 Na2SiO3), alkalinity along a gradient from 0 to ∼ 600 µmol kg-1, and magnesium in proportion to alkalinity additions. The other five mesocosms (M2, M4, M6, M8, M10) were enriched with alkalinity along the same gradient and calcium in proportion to alkalinity additions. The experiment explored many components of the plankton community, from microbes to fish larvae, and here we report on the influence of simulated mineral based OAE on diatom silicification. Macronutrients (nitrate and phosphate) limited silicification at the onset of the experiment until nutrient additions on day 26. Silicification was significantly greater in the silicate-based mineral treatment, with all genera except Cylindrotheca displaying an increase in silicification as a result of the increased concentration of dissolved silicate. In contrast to the effect of differences in dissolved silicate concentrations between the two mineral treatments, increases in alkalinity only influenced the silicification of two genera, Pseudo-nitzschia and Nitzschia. The four other genera (Arcocellulus, Cylindrotheca, Skeletonema, and Thalassiosira) investigated here displayed no significant changes in silicification as a result of alkalinity increases between 0 and 600 µmol kg-1 above natural levels. In summary, our findings illustrate that the enhancement of alkalinity via simulated silicate- and calcium-based methods has limited genus-specific impacts on the silicification of diatoms. This research underscores the importance of understanding the full breadth of different OAE approaches, their risks, co-benefits, and potential for interactive effects.

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Title: Investigating the effect of silicate- and calcium-based ocean alkalinity enhancement on diatom silicification
Creators: Aaron Ferderer - University of Tasmania
Kai Schulz - Southern Cross University
Ulf Riebesell - GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Kirralee Baker - University of Tasmania
Zanna Chase - University of Tasmania
Lennart Bach - University of Tasmania
Publication Details: Biogeosciences, Vol.21(11), pp.2777-2794
Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
Identifiers: 991013203211902368
Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Investigating the effect of silicate- and calcium-based ocean alkalinity enhancement on diatom silicification

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