Seaweed Rafts Transport Carbon to Deep Ocean, New Study Shows
Similar Articles
Protected Scottish Seabed Shows Rapid Recovery After Fishing Ban
Mangrove Forests Sequester Nitrogen Pollution Worth Billions Annually
Global Sea Cucumber Trade Grows, Study Highlights Ecological Role
Giant Squid Detected Off Western Australia Using Environmental DNA
Salt Marsh Destruction Led to Significant Carbon Loss, Study Finds
An international research team has tracked how large seaweed rafts can transport significant amounts of carbon to the deep ocean. Using satellite imagery and ocean current monitoring, the study found offshore currents can carry seaweed hundreds of kilometres before it sinks. This process contributes to a natural carbon sink where carbon can remain sequestered for over a century.
Facts First
- Large seaweeds absorb significant atmospheric CO2 and can sink up to 44 million tonnes of carbon annually.
- An international research team tracked 8,000 seaweed rafts off southwest Greenland using satellite imagery and modelling.
- Offshore currents can carry seaweed hundreds of kilometres before it is driven below the surface.
- Sinking seaweed transports carbon to depths of up to 200 metres, where it can remain for at least a century.
What Happened
An international team of researchers tracked 8,000 seaweed rafts growing off southwest Greenland. The team utilized satellite imagery, computer modelling, and ocean current monitoring devices for their study. The research found that offshore currents can carry seaweed hundreds of kilometres. As surface waters cool, this floating vegetation is driven below the surface, where it breaks down and sinks, transporting carbon to the deep ocean.
Why this Matters to You
This natural process represents a significant, previously quantified carbon sink. The carbon transported to the deep ocean by this mechanism may help mitigate atmospheric CO2 levels, which is a key driver of climate change. Understanding and potentially enhancing this natural cycle could become part of broader climate solutions.
What's Next
The study provides a clearer mechanism for how macroalgae-derived carbon reaches the deep ocean. Further research may build on these findings to better quantify the global scale of this carbon transport pathway and assess its stability in a changing climate.