Can our oceans heal themselves?

Michael Lomas, a senior research scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), spoke about ocean acidification due to global warming but said the oceans may find a way to heal themselves.

“Unlike evolution, which tries to be forward moving, a planet or an ocean can’t go in one direction. That’s an abstract process,” said Dr. Lomas.

“CO2 in our atmosphere is accumulating and that is having an impact on the planet as a whole.”

But he added: “There are positive things which can affect ocean acidification.”

These included photosynthetic plants, which take up CO2 and make oxygen.

“The ocean to some degree can counter ocean acidification,” said Dr. Lomas.

The BIOS ‘time series’ studies over the past 20 years may have revealed more CO2 in the ocean, but there were also encouraging signs that the oceans’ biological carbon pump “is countering ocean acidification”.

“It will offset something,” said Dr. Lomas.

“The oceans have to have a return process and they have that built in.

“We need to find ways to reduce our carbon emissions but also need to study the natural eco-systems, to see how they are responding.

“We need to understand how these marine systems function and respond to studies, because they may already have figured it out while we sit here scratching our heads.”

TEDxBermuda 2011

• 'If the ocean's species die then we all die'
• Discovering the secrets of our tiger sharks
• A mural of epic proportions
• 'New wars are not breaking out in Africa, we are open for business'
• Spoken word artist Paynter receives a double standing ovation
• Music from around the world
• How did humans get so smart?
• Tales from within Guantanamo
• Taking from a society of waste and giving to a society of want
• Can our oceans heal themselves?
• Cleaning up corrupt professional cycling