From Ian S. F. Jones, Ocean Technology Group, University of Sydney
Nitrogen is essential in the growth of phytoplankton and the maintenance of
the health of the ocean. Your editorial of
8 April (p 3) oversimplifies the
issue of managing climate change discussed in the article by Fred Pearce
(p 18).
It refers to nitrogen as an ocean pollutant and like many substances, when
present in excess this is true. The editorial cites cases where too much
nitrogen has been unintentionally poured into the ocean, with unpleasant
impacts.
Our studies show this will not be the outcome of adding nitrogen to selected
parts of the ocean which are nitrogen deficient. We will need more food for the
increase in the world population that is expected. Careful nourishing of the
ocean is a very attractive way of turning an industrial waste
product—carbon dioxide—into harvestable fish, by adding the
nutrients missing from the base of the food web.
The technology disparaged in the editorial is about providing the nutrient in
the correct place and concentration. It is much too simple to call nitrogen a
pollutant in this case.
New South Wales
