Otters v. Climate Change

A recent scientific study shows sea otter activity off the coast of Washington State has removed CO2 from the atmosphere equivalent to taking up to 6 million cars off the road.
Learn more about this QUEST video: ow.ly/srk4j
This video is also part of our Ocean Acidification Education series: ow.ly/uqTCI

[@wesleykronmiller390]

The nine dislikes are sea urchins

[@ilivewhereiam]

Great video! I really enjoyed learning about this issue on our coast. Such an incredibly beautiful area!

[@yourecstasy]

who else is here for homework lol

[@sublimetb]

Unfortunately, this is incorrect. Kelp does not sequester carbon, at least not over time periods that are useful to combat climate change. Kelp forests will take up CO2 from surrounding waters during photosynthesis and store it as carbon in their tissues, but most kelps are relatively short lived and when removed by disturbance events will be either eaten or decomposed in shallow waters or on the shore, and thus release the carbon back to the atmosphere through heterotrophic respiration. There is little evidence for a large % of kelp being transported to deep waters (where the carbon would be stored for longer periods of time). While increases in otters do lead to decreases in urchins and more kelp, this will only lead to a small amplification of the seasonal CO2 signal, not an increase in sequestered carbon.

[@TellCookie]

O:

[@user-zw6ux2sh1h]

on god

[@isaina]

😡😡😡

[@torrelldavis2204]

See if you can peck the dislike button with your nose.

[@torrelldavis2204]

Thank you

[@torrelldavis2204]

How did you know?