Abstract
An essential prerequisite for the implementation of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) applications is their environmental safety. Only if it can be ensured that ecosystem health and ecosystem services are
not at risk will the implementation of OAE move forward. Public opinion on OAE strategies will depend first
and foremost on reliable evidence that no harm will be done to marine ecosystems, and licensing authorities
will demand measurable criteria against which environmental sustainability can be determined. In this context
mesocosm experiments represent a highly valuable tool in determining the safe operating space of OAE applications. By combining biological complexity with controllability and replication, they provide an ideal OAE test
bed and a critical stepping stone towards field applications. Mesocosm approaches can also be helpful in testing
the efficacy, efficiency and permanence of OAE applications. This chapter outlines strengths and weaknesses of
mesocosm approaches, illustrates mesocosm facilities and suitable experimental designs presently employed in
OAE research, describes critical steps in mesocosm operation, and discusses possible approaches for alkalinity manipulation and monitoring. Building on a general treatise on each of these aspects, the chapter describes
pelagic and benthic mesocosm approaches separately, given their inherent differences. The chapter concludes
with recommendations for best practices in OAE-related mesocosm research.
not at risk will the implementation of OAE move forward. Public opinion on OAE strategies will depend first
and foremost on reliable evidence that no harm will be done to marine ecosystems, and licensing authorities
will demand measurable criteria against which environmental sustainability can be determined. In this context
mesocosm experiments represent a highly valuable tool in determining the safe operating space of OAE applications. By combining biological complexity with controllability and replication, they provide an ideal OAE test
bed and a critical stepping stone towards field applications. Mesocosm approaches can also be helpful in testing
the efficacy, efficiency and permanence of OAE applications. This chapter outlines strengths and weaknesses of
mesocosm approaches, illustrates mesocosm facilities and suitable experimental designs presently employed in
OAE research, describes critical steps in mesocosm operation, and discusses possible approaches for alkalinity manipulation and monitoring. Building on a general treatise on each of these aspects, the chapter describes
pelagic and benthic mesocosm approaches separately, given their inherent differences. The chapter concludes
with recommendations for best practices in OAE-related mesocosm research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Guide to Best Practices in Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Research |
| Editors | A. Oschlies, A. Stevenson, L.T. Bach, K. Fennel, R.E.M. Rickaby, T. Satterfield, R. Webb, J.-P. Gattuso |
| Publisher | Copernicus Publications, State Planet |
| Chapter | 6 |
| Volume | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Nov 2023 |