Hi All, MV, thank you for the input and I have spent a few days reading up on the basics of the subject. I am just learning this field and so I ask your patience. With that, I would like to ask two questions, if possible. Are there diatoms that can regulate their buoyancy with intracellular lipids to counter sinking. Would a Sargassum mat be considered a diatom mat?
I obviously need a little clarity on these points. Michael On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 4:15 AM, M V Bhaskar <bhaskarmv...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Michael > > A few points about Diatoms. > Most diatoms are consumed by zooplankton and fish and do not > accumulate, unlike other phytoplankton. > That is why you SEE fewer Diatom blooms in photos. > > Diatoms sink, other phytoplankton float. > This is another reason why we SEE less diatoms. > > To answer the two points you raised - > > >First is their natural existence in the coastal areas of the ocean gyre > that they will be "farmed" in. > > Diatoms exist in all natural waters, they account for about 40 to 50% > of the oxygen and primary production in oceans. > > >Second is their ability to form mats. > > As mentioned above they rarely form mats, most are consumed or the > dead diatoms sink. > > Any attempt to 'farm' or grow diatoms to accumulate them will be very > expensive. > > best regards > > Bhaskar > > On May 18, 2:54 am, Michael Hayes <voglerl...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > Bhaskar has brought the use of diatoms up and I find the thought path > > interesting. I would like to start this thread off in an effort to keep > the > > issue organized in one thread for easy reference and focused discussion > on > > his suggestion/concept. > > > > The main benefits of diatoms are O2 production and CO2 sequestration. > > > > How can those benefits be practically exploited on a significant enough > > scale to impact Global Warming? > > > > What would be the environmental impact of large-scale use be? > > > > What environments can this biotic enhancement be practically carried out > > within? > > > > What type of diatoms can/should be used and in which environment? > > > > These were my first questions in trying to understand Bhaskar's ongoing > > effort to bring the use of diatoms up. If a focused attention can be > > produced through this dedicated thread, the issue may find the fullest > > evaluation this group can offer. > > > > Here is a link to the Google results on scholarly papers concerning > diatom > > and CO2 transport to the ocean floor. > http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Efficiency+of+the+CO2-concentrati...This > > is a repeat from my earlier post on the "Lecture on Methane" thread. I > think > > it might help the effort if all relative links are made available here. > > > > Here is the Google search results on diatoms and O2 production. > http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=diatom+and+oxygen&hl=en&as_sdt=0&;... > > > > Here is the Google search results on diatom nutrient uptakehttp:// > scholar.google.com/scholar?q=diatom+nutrient+uptake+rate&hl=en... > > > > Here are the marine species lists that I am initially finding; > > > > > http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=156607http://university.uog.edu/botany/474/mar-fw_diatoms.htmlhttp://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&...http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag//artdec10/cuba-diatom.pdfhttp://www.jsrd.org/Vol%2010/Vol%2010%20Art9.pdf > > > > There are many more. > > > > I proposed the use of gyres of large-scale diatom farms to provide CO2 > ocean > > sequestration, large area ocean surface cooling and possible pollution > > mitigation. However, I may not be the first to propose it and I would be > > interested in finding any previously published work. I try avoiding > > reinventing wheels when I can. > > > > That concept will initially take a survey of diatoms which have two basic > > attributes. First is their natural existence in the coastal areas of the > > ocean gyre that they will be "farmed" in. Second is their ability to form > > mats. There may be a combination of species which would act in a mutually > > supporting way to create "prescribed" mats. The "hardware" side of the > > concept will need to be focus upon biomemecry and utilization of > > available resources. The gyres have one resource which can be > > used....plastic! > > > > I hope this thread starts a way to keep the many issues, that diatom use > > raises, in an easily referenced format. > > > > Thanks again for your patience. > > > > Michael > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "geoengineering" group. > To post to this group, send email to geoengineering@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > geoengineering+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. > > -- *Michael Hayes* *360-708-4976* http://www.wix.com/voglerlake/vogler-lake-web-site -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to geoengineering@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to geoengineering+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en.
