Blue Carbon within Artificial Reefs
off the coast of British Columbia
Sophie I. Chai
Abstract
Artificial reefs are created by sinking inactive vessels into open ocean terrain, allowing flora and fauna to enter into the ships and create a thriving ecosystem. These ecological communities are capable of sequestering carbon which also reduces the intensity of ocean acidification in the surrounding areas. At the inception of ARSBC, carbon sequestration was an unknown benefit, but as the knowledge and understanding of artificial reefs continues to expand, the number of advantages that come with developing an artificial ecosystem expands with it.
Blue Carbon within Artificial Reefs off the coast of British Columbia
Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time; creating a future where the plant and marine animal kingdom can be harnessed into carbon sequestering structures while rebalancing ecosystems through natural processes is crucial to our survival.
When we think of carbon sequestration and absorption, we think of companies that extract and inject carbon deep underground until it solidifies into stone. Although humanity must look at every angle, direct air capture technology is extremely expensive and cannot extract nearly enough carbon at the pace we need to be meeting. Blue carbon is one of the most overlooked drawdown solutions to this crisis because it happens naturally, yet it remains one of the greatest allies to sequester carbon and meet the 1.5 degree warming limit. This useful tool is dwindling due to ocean acidification and the desalination of salt water as a result of melting glaciers. Artificial reefs are only capable of sequestering a miniscule amount of CO2 due to the complexity of creating the habitat, but as the reef expands, opportunities to sequester expand as well. There are many strategies for upscaling carbon sequestration, and artificial reefs are the untapped resource for maintaining that uptrend while creating a balanced ecosystem where flora and fauna can coexist and not only survive, but thrive.
Artificial reefs are created by sinking inactive vessels into open ocean terrain, allowing flora and fauna to enter into the ships and create a thriving ecosystem. These ecological communities are capable of sequestering carbon which also reduces the intensity of ocean acidification in the surrounding areas. At the inception of ARSBC, carbon sequestration was an unknown benefit, but as the knowledge and understanding of artificial reefs continues to expand, the number of advantages that come with developing an artificial ecosystem expands with it.
Blue Carbon within Artificial Reefs off the coast of British Columbia
Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time; creating a future where the plant and marine animal kingdom can be harnessed into carbon sequestering structures while rebalancing ecosystems through natural processes is crucial to our survival.
When we think of carbon sequestration and absorption, we think of companies that extract and inject carbon deep underground until it solidifies into stone. Although humanity must look at every angle, direct air capture technology is extremely expensive and cannot extract nearly enough carbon at the pace we need to be meeting. Blue carbon is one of the most overlooked drawdown solutions to this crisis because it happens naturally, yet it remains one of the greatest allies to sequester carbon and meet the 1.5 degree warming limit. This useful tool is dwindling due to ocean acidification and the desalination of salt water as a result of melting glaciers. Artificial reefs are only capable of sequestering a miniscule amount of CO2 due to the complexity of creating the habitat, but as the reef expands, opportunities to sequester expand as well. There are many strategies for upscaling carbon sequestration, and artificial reefs are the untapped resource for maintaining that uptrend while creating a balanced ecosystem where flora and fauna can coexist and not only survive, but thrive.
Photosynthesis on Artificial Reefs
The ARSBC uses sunken vessels in areas of consistent flat sea floor expanse with limited complex habitat. The depth of any vessel is relevant to its size and sunk within recreational scuba dive limits of 130 feet. For safe navigable clearance, a minimum of 30 feet is required from the tallest structure to the surface at low tide. This is to ensure safe navigable waters and out of the influence of commercial ship routes. The upper area of the ships have the greatest opportunity to gain biodiversity and start the photosynthetic process. Since light quickly degrades past 40 feet, the first 30-60 feet of the ships are covered in many marine species from plants to bivalves to anemones and sponges. All the ship's species coexist and support each other to create and maintain a healthy, thriving ecosystem.
Minimizing Ocean Acidification
As the ocean’s responsibility to absorb more CO2 increases, pH levels decrease, resulting in the ocean becoming more acidic. Artificial reefs serve the main purpose of constructing an ecosystem in places of open ocean terrain. Minimizing ocean acidification in the surrounding areas is a beneficial factor in fabricating these intricate systems. Between 1751 to 2004 the ocean’s pH levels dropped from approximately 8.25 to 8.14. While to the uneducated eye this change might seem minuscule, every one thousandth decrease causes immense damage to the ocean. Carbon dioxide, mainly created by human activity, dissolves into the ocean. Seawater and carbon combine to form carbonic acid, (H₂CO₃) which dissociates (or breaks) into a bicarbonate ion (HCO₃−) and a hydrogen ion (H+). The concentration of carbonate ions, which are the main building blocks for calcium carbonate shells and skeletons, decreases as pH decreases. Marine-calcifying organisms, such as oysters and corals, are especially vulnerable as they rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. Decreased ocean pH has a range of potentially harmful effects on marine organisms. These include reduced calcification, lowered immune responses, and diminished energy for basic functions such as reproduction. Ocean pH levels are a serious issue and like many things in the natural environment, are not meant to be tampered with.
Addressing dwindling Coastal Species
The well-being of British Columbia’s coastline is being threatened due to pollution and overfishing. ARSBC addresses this issue by creating new habitat opportunities in regions lacking pre-existing reef structures using artificial reefs in the form of their steel vessels. Properly conducted and government certified, the ARSBC ship-to-reef projects provide for long term complex habitats where marine organisms such as mollusks, algae, and oysters can attach; in turn, providing food for shoals of fish.
The ARSBC uses sunken vessels in areas of consistent flat sea floor expanse with limited complex habitat. The depth of any vessel is relevant to its size and sunk within recreational scuba dive limits of 130 feet. For safe navigable clearance, a minimum of 30 feet is required from the tallest structure to the surface at low tide. This is to ensure safe navigable waters and out of the influence of commercial ship routes. The upper area of the ships have the greatest opportunity to gain biodiversity and start the photosynthetic process. Since light quickly degrades past 40 feet, the first 30-60 feet of the ships are covered in many marine species from plants to bivalves to anemones and sponges. All the ship's species coexist and support each other to create and maintain a healthy, thriving ecosystem.
Minimizing Ocean Acidification
As the ocean’s responsibility to absorb more CO2 increases, pH levels decrease, resulting in the ocean becoming more acidic. Artificial reefs serve the main purpose of constructing an ecosystem in places of open ocean terrain. Minimizing ocean acidification in the surrounding areas is a beneficial factor in fabricating these intricate systems. Between 1751 to 2004 the ocean’s pH levels dropped from approximately 8.25 to 8.14. While to the uneducated eye this change might seem minuscule, every one thousandth decrease causes immense damage to the ocean. Carbon dioxide, mainly created by human activity, dissolves into the ocean. Seawater and carbon combine to form carbonic acid, (H₂CO₃) which dissociates (or breaks) into a bicarbonate ion (HCO₃−) and a hydrogen ion (H+). The concentration of carbonate ions, which are the main building blocks for calcium carbonate shells and skeletons, decreases as pH decreases. Marine-calcifying organisms, such as oysters and corals, are especially vulnerable as they rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. Decreased ocean pH has a range of potentially harmful effects on marine organisms. These include reduced calcification, lowered immune responses, and diminished energy for basic functions such as reproduction. Ocean pH levels are a serious issue and like many things in the natural environment, are not meant to be tampered with.
Addressing dwindling Coastal Species
The well-being of British Columbia’s coastline is being threatened due to pollution and overfishing. ARSBC addresses this issue by creating new habitat opportunities in regions lacking pre-existing reef structures using artificial reefs in the form of their steel vessels. Properly conducted and government certified, the ARSBC ship-to-reef projects provide for long term complex habitats where marine organisms such as mollusks, algae, and oysters can attach; in turn, providing food for shoals of fish.
Summarizing Conclusion
Artificial reefs offer a cleaner, healthier ocean where it is brought back to its grandeur. Many additional studies across the world support this research, affirming the inspiring capabilities of artificial reefs. The scale of this process is extremely small compared to the imperious totality of climate change, but appropriate steps can be taken worldwide, to minimize and prevent further damage.
References
Jones, A.T. and Welsford, R.W. (1997). Artificial Reefs in British Columbia, Canada
PROCEEDINGS OF OCEANS '97. VOLUME 1., MTS/IEEE, 1997, pp. 415-418.
Jacobson, M. Z. (2005). Studying Ocean Acidification with Conservative, Stable Numerical Schemes for Nonequilibrium Air-Ocean Exchange and Ocean Equilibrium Chemistry. Journal of Geophysical Research, 110(D7).
“Ocean Acidification.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1 Apr. 2020.
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2004JD005220
Artificial reefs offer a cleaner, healthier ocean where it is brought back to its grandeur. Many additional studies across the world support this research, affirming the inspiring capabilities of artificial reefs. The scale of this process is extremely small compared to the imperious totality of climate change, but appropriate steps can be taken worldwide, to minimize and prevent further damage.
References
Jones, A.T. and Welsford, R.W. (1997). Artificial Reefs in British Columbia, Canada
PROCEEDINGS OF OCEANS '97. VOLUME 1., MTS/IEEE, 1997, pp. 415-418.
Jacobson, M. Z. (2005). Studying Ocean Acidification with Conservative, Stable Numerical Schemes for Nonequilibrium Air-Ocean Exchange and Ocean Equilibrium Chemistry. Journal of Geophysical Research, 110(D7).
“Ocean Acidification.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1 Apr. 2020.
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2004JD005220
