Does the ocean breathe?
Dr. Veronique OldhamThe oceans absorb nearly 1/3 of our carbon emissions; they are literally the world's lungs. How does the sea 'breathe', and why does it do it?
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If oceans are the lungs of the earth, how do we keep them breathing amid unprecedented levels of carbon emission?
Our oceans absorb nearly a third of the world’s carbon emissions, a ‘breathing’ process that produces much of the oxygen we take in on a daily basis. As carbon levels increase so too do the acidity levels of our oceans, a process known as Ocean Acidification and one that damages our marine life.
In this Garden talk, Dr. Veronique Oldham takes us on a deep dive into the inner workings of our oceans, revealing the fascinating story of how some people dumped iron in the ocean to encourage the growth of carbon-munching marine phytoplankton - and ended up with nothing more than dead zones full of algae.
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Talk outline
50 minutes
30 minute talk
20 minute Member Q&A
Veronique is an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography. She examines metal cycling in the coastal ocean, deep sea methane seeps, and in Antarctica.
Thank you notes from Garden members
Does the ocean breathe?
Does the ocean breathe?
Amazing Oceans Collection
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