Prev: Goal 1. EDUCATION

Next: Goal 3. RESTORATION

Goal 2. Development of Carbon Removal and Blue Carbon Technologies

Problem

Lack of large-scale technologies for carbon removal and marine ecosystem restoration.

Marine carbon dioxide removal pathways by OceanVisions

Relevant SDGs:

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
SDG 13: Climate Action.
SDG 14: Life Below Water.

Science

The Caspian Sea is a large, enclosed, brackish water body with significant ecological and anthropogenic pressures, including pollution, salinity fluctuations, and changes in biodiversity.

We need to take this into account and further develop global studies that address relevant topics such as microbial ecology, carbon cycling, dissolved organic matter (DOM), coastal ecosystems, nutrient dynamics, and environmental stressors such as salinity or pollution.

Recommendations on the contribution of the Caspian region to the further development of global research on negative carbon emissions.

Focus areas

Microbial carbon cycling:

The Microbial Carbon Pump: from Genes to Ecosystems. (Nianzhi Jiao, Qiang Zheng. 2011).

This foundational study on the MCP provides a framework for understanding microbial contributions to carbon cycling, which is critical for the Caspian Sea’s ecosystem, given its isolation and unique biogeochemistry.

The microbial carbon pump and climate change. (Nianzhi Jiao et al. 2024).

Study explores the microbial carbon pump (MCP), which is crucial for carbon sequestration in aquatic environments. The Caspian Sea, with its unique biogeochemical cycles, could benefit from understanding how microbial processes influence carbon storage, especially under changing climatic conditions.

Recalcitrant dissolved organic matter and its major production and removal processes in the ocean. (Nianzhi Jiao, Ruanhong Cai. 2023).

Study focuses on recalcitrant dissolved organic matter (RDOM), which is relevant for understanding long-term carbon storage in the Caspian Sea, a semi-enclosed system with potentially high DOM accumulation.

Increased microbial and substrate complexity result in higher molecular diversity of the dissolved organic matter pool. (Quanrui Chen et al. 2022)

Study examines how microbial communities and substrate complexity affect DOM diversity, which is applicable to the Caspian Sea’s diverse microbial ecosystems influenced by river inputs (e.g., Volga River) and pollution.

Salinity and Microbial Adaptation:

Salinity as a key factor affecting viral activity and life strategies in alpine lakes. (Lin Zang et al. 2024).

The Caspian Sea’s brackish nature (salinity ~12-13 g/L) makes this study on salinity’s impact on viral activity and microbial strategies highly relevant. It could provide insights into how salinity gradients in the Caspian affect microbial and viral communities.

Genomic insights into the adaptation of Synechococcus to the coastal environment on Xiamen. (Ting Zhang et al. 2023).

Study’s focus on genomic adaptations to coastal environments could inform research on microbial resilience in the Caspian’s variable salinity and nutrient conditions.

Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems:

Heavy metal induced shifts in microbial community composition and interactions with dissolved organic matter in coastal sediments. (Yu Wang et al. 2024)

The Caspian Sea faces heavy metal pollution from industrial and oil-related activities. This study’s focus on microbial community shifts due to heavy metals is directly applicable to polluted coastal sediments in the Caspian.

Correspondence between DOM molecules and microbial community in a subtropical coastal estuary on a spatiotemporal scale. (Qi Chen et al. 2021)

The Caspian Sea receives significant riverine inputs (e.g., Volga, Ural), creating estuarine-like conditions. This study’s analysis of DOM and microbial interactions in estuaries is relevant for understanding similar processes in the Caspian’s coastal zones.

Response of a Coastal Microbial Community to Olivine Addition in the Muping Marine Ranch, Yantai. (Hongwei Ren et al. 2022)

Study examines microbial responses to mineral additions in coastal environments, which could be relevant for exploring geoengineering solutions (e.g., mineral amendments) to mitigate pollution or enhance carbon sequestration in the Caspian Sea.

Nutrient Dynamics and Pollution

Investigating organic sulfur in estuarine and offshore environments: A combined field and cultivation approach. (Changjie Dong et al. 2024)

Organic sulfur compounds are relevant to the Caspian Sea, where oil and gas activities may introduce sulfur-related pollutants. This study’s combined field and cultivation approach could be adapted to study sulfur cycling in the Caspian.

Abundance, composition, and fate of microplastics in water, sediment, and shellfish in the Tapi-Phumduang River system and Bandon Bay, Thailand. (Narainrit Chinfak et al. 2021)

Microplastic pollution is a growing concern in the Caspian Sea. This study’s methods for assessing microplastic distribution and impacts could be applied to similar research in the Caspian.

Excessive greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants by using the chemical oxygen demand standard. (Zongqing Lv et al. 2022)

The Caspian Sea region has significant wastewater inputs from coastal cities and industries. This study’s focus on greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment is relevant for assessing similar impacts in the Caspian.

Viral and Microbial Interactions

Macroalgal virosphere assists with host-microbiome equilibrium regulation and affects prokaryotes in surrounding marine environments. (Jiulong Zhao et al. 2024)

Macroalgae are present in the Caspian Sea’s coastal zones, and their interactions with viruses and prokaryotes could influence ecosystem dynamics. This study’s focus on the virosphere is relevant for understanding microbial equilibrium in the Caspian.

Ecological dynamics and impacts of viruses in Chinese and global estuaries. (Lanlan Cai et al. 2022)

The Caspian Sea’s coastal zones, influenced by river inputs, resemble estuarine systems. This study’s insights into viral ecology in estuaries could be applied to understand viral roles in Caspian microbial communities.

Reduced bacterial mortality and enhanced viral productivity during sinking in the ocean. (Wei Wei et al. 2022)

The Caspian Sea has stratified waters with sinking particles, making this study’s findings on viral-bacterial interactions during sinking relevant for understanding carbon and nutrient cycling in deeper waters.

Climate Change and Biogeochemical Processes

Complexities of regulating climate by promoting marine primary production with ocean iron fertilization. (Hai-Bo Jiang 2024)

The Caspian Sea’s primary productivity is influenced by nutrient inputs. This study’s exploration of iron fertilization could inform research on nutrient-driven productivity in the Caspian, particularly in nutrient-limited areas.

Coastal blue carbon in China as a nature-based solution toward carbon neutrality. (Faming Wang et al. 2023)

Blue carbon strategies (e.g., involving coastal ecosystems like wetlands or algae) are relevant for the Caspian Sea’s coastal zones, which could serve as carbon sinks.

Eco-engineering approaches for ocean negative carbon emission. (Chuanlun Zhang et al. 2022)

Eco-engineering for carbon emissions reduction is applicable to the Caspian Sea, where innovative approaches could mitigate climate impacts.

Projects

Caspian Sea Carbon Dioxide Removal Project (CaspianCDR): A research initiative to develop CO₂ removal technologies using natural photosynthesis processes in the Caspian Sea. (oceandecade.org)

* Partnerships and Resources:

The Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions (GEOS) is a transformative initiative by Ocean Visions, proudly endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. GEOS aims to accelerate collaboration across diverse sectors and geographies, fostering a globally distributed community dedicated to delivering innovative, effective, and durable solutions to the ocean-climate crisis. The GEOS program advances Ocean Visions’ mission by building and strengthening inclusive partnerships to further the development of ocean-based climate solutions internationally.
OceanVisions Roadmaps for Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR): A detailed guide on developing and scaling carbon dioxide removal technologies in marine environments. (OceanVisions).

* potential

KPIs:

Launch Research Development and Demonstration for Marine-based carbon dioxide removal:
Increase the volume of carbon removed using natural and technological solutions by CO2e 1 M tons annually by 2030.

Prev: Goal 1. EDUCATION

Next: Goal 3. RESTORATION

Page updated

Report abuse