What is ocean fertilization?Ocean fertilization is characterized as a means of using the ocean as a carbon sink through the introduction of iron into the water, theoretically reducing the release of carbon into the atmosphere and thus reducing global warming. This theory of iron fertilization has been around since the 1920s and was made popular by John Martin of WHOI in the 1980s. Martin proposed two hypotheses, the first being that nutrient-rich, chlorophyll-poor (HNLC) zones are thus due to ineffective amounts of iron concentrations. His second hypothesis was that if iron was indeed driving yield in nutrient-rich, chlorophyll-poor waters and also absorbing organic carbon in the deep ocean through use of the biological pump, this could explain the observations made through the ice cores he had collected. Ice cores had shown that carbon had a direct link to global climate change. Martin proposed, using his hypotheses, that fertilizing the ocean with the iron contained in these HNLC waters could export atmospheric carbon dioxide into ocean sediments and capture it for many years. The carbon cycle in reference to ocean fertilization can be simply explained by understanding that phytoplankton use carbon dioxide to grow. The carbon dioxide reaches the ocean surface and is photosynthesized by phytoplankton which in turn grows into larger blooms. These flowers expire and sink to the bottom or are eaten by zooplankton. Zooplankton breathe in a quantity of carbon dioxide and also release carbon through their fecal pellets which then sink to the bottom. Adding iron will lead to increased blooms of phytoplankton, such as diatoms, which consume carbon during photosynthesis. The ...... middle of paper ...... ceanus. 2008. Vol. 46, #1, 4-9.Cao, L., Caldeira, K. “Can ocean fertilization mitigate ocean acidification? Climate change. Flight. 99, #1-2, 295-329.Liss, P., Chuck, A., Bakker, D., Turner, S. “Ocean fertilization with iron: effects on climate and air quality.” » Tellus. 2005. Vol. 57B, #3, 269-271. Sarmiento, JL, Slater, RD and Gnanadesikan, A. “Effects of uneven ocean fertilization on atmospheric carbon dioxide and biological production.” » Global geobiochemical cycles. 2003. Vol. 17, #2, 19-1 – 19-17.Warner, R. “Marine snowstorms: assessing environmental risks from ocean fertilization.” » Review of carbon and climate law. 2009. 4, 426-436. Rayfuse, R., Lawrence, MG, Gjerde and KM “Ocean Fertilization and Climate Change: The Need to Regulate Emerging Uses on the High Seas.” The International Journal of Maritime and Coastal Law. 2008. Flight.. 23, 297-326.