Feeding back loops

We suspect that the biological pump is not working at its full capacity (De La Rocha 2007). Research is being conducted to find ways to improve its current capacity. These include carbon capture and storage methods whereby carbon is taken from point sources and transported to a storage 'facility'.

Numerical model simulations proved that CO2 could be directly injected to the deep ocean through the moving ships method (Se-min, Sato, and Baixin 2008). Although this may reduce atmospheric CO2 levels in the short term, sequestrated CO2 has negative impacts on marine biology (Orr et al. 2005).

We ought to take these CO2 sequestration forcings with caution. We can rarely get rid of something without consequences being felt.

We suspect increasing temperatures will negatively affect the carbon pump. Carbon storage will

decrease, ultimately inflating atmospheric CO2 levels (Henson et al. 2011). The oceanic carbon pump

is thereby linked to another positive feedback. Increased atmospheric CO2 is likely to raise

temperatures in turn decreasing ocean particles’ ability to pump carbon. And the loop goes on.

That is because oceans and atmosphere are two interwoven systems. A change in air temperature within the ocean/atmosphere system affects mechanisms at work in oceans. In turn oceanic responses affect atmospheric levels of CO2.

I guess that needs to be stressed. Positive feedbacks will increase climate change.

It seems that global warming is not dramatically alarming in itself. To us human beings, 2°C do not represent a huge difference to our body temperature.

Perhaps that’s a reason why a good number of people are not realising how much global warming will affect the environment.

But does anything function in isolation on earth?

We have come to think of systems as separate wholes. Conceptualisation makes our brain represent systems as being divided into independent parts. I can picture an ocean floating alone in emptiness.

Concepts are extremely useful to understand mechanisms in complicated, intricate systems. But let’s bear in mind that the environment does not function like that. There is no change that does not potentially bear consequences on its surroundings.