The Effect of Elevated CO2 on the Growth Rate of Phytoplankton - Mesocosm Experiment

Recent independent lines of evidence suggest that higher CO₂ concentration in surface seawater would accelerate growth of phytoplankton. A 20-day mesocosm experiment was carried out in June 2004 in the southern coastal region of Korea to investigate the influence of elevated CO₂ concentration on the mono diatom species, Skeletonema costatum. The CO₂ concentration of a control net was being left as an ambient condition (approximately 400ppm), while that of the other treatment was being maintained approximately 900ppm. The elevated production of Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), which was generated from increasing a primary production, was not discernable in this experiment. Therefore, a new study has been carried out with some modifications to observe possible increase in POC and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) productions. The new experiment includes 5 mesocosms with different CO₂ concentrations ranging from 280ppm to 900ppm. During the entire duration of this experiment, CO₂ concentration in each treatment has remained constant.