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Russell LM, Rasch PJ, Mace GM, Jackson RB, Shepherd J, Liss P, Leinen M, Schimel D, Vaughan NE, Janetos AC, Boyd PW, Norby RJ, Caldeira K, Merikanto J, Artaxo P, Melillo J, Morgan MG. Ecosystem impacts of geoengineering: a review for developing a science plan. AMBIO 2012; 41:350-69. [PMID: 22430307 PMCID: PMC3393062 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-012-0258-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2011] [Revised: 09/27/2011] [Accepted: 01/31/2012] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Geoengineering methods are intended to reduce climate change, which is already having demonstrable effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in some regions. Two types of geoengineering activities that have been proposed are: carbon dioxide (CO(2)) removal (CDR), which removes CO(2) from the atmosphere, and solar radiation management (SRM, or sunlight reflection methods), which reflects a small percentage of sunlight back into space to offset warming from greenhouse gases (GHGs). Current research suggests that SRM or CDR might diminish the impacts of climate change on ecosystems by reducing changes in temperature and precipitation. However, sudden cessation of SRM would exacerbate the climate effects on ecosystems, and some CDR might interfere with oceanic and terrestrial ecosystem processes. The many risks and uncertainties associated with these new kinds of purposeful perturbations to the Earth system are not well understood and require cautious and comprehensive research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M. Russell
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. Mail Code 0221, La Jolla, CA 92093-0221 USA
| | - Philip J. Rasch
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, P. O. Box 999, MSIN K9-34, Richland, WA 99352 USA
| | - Georgina M. Mace
- Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berks SL5 7PY UK
| | - Robert B. Jackson
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - John Shepherd
- Earth System Science, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH UK
| | - Peter Liss
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ UK
| | - Margaret Leinen
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, 5600 US Rt 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946 USA
| | | | - Naomi E. Vaughan
- Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ UK
| | - Anthony C. Janetos
- Joint Global Change Research Institute Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/University of Maryland, 5825 University Research Court, Suite 3500, College Park, MD 20740 USA
| | - Philip W. Boyd
- NIWA Centre of Chemical & Physical Oceanography, Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richard J. Norby
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Bethel Valley Road, Bldg. 2040, MS-6301, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6301 USA
| | - Ken Caldeira
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Joonas Merikanto
- Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paulo Artaxo
- Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-090 Brazil
| | - Jerry Melillo
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543 USA
| | - M. Granger Morgan
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
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