Biodiversity and biological impact of ocean disposal of carbon dioxide

Five major characteristics of deep-sea organisms that are relevant to the carbon dioxide ocean sequestration are pointed out. They are (1) Low biological activities, (2) Long life span, (3) High sensitivity to the environmental disturbance, (4) High species diversity, an (5) Low density. These characteristics suggest the deep-sea species are sensitive to the environmental disturbance, and once they are damaged, they may extinct easily or it takes a long time to recover. To get public acceptance for ocean sequestration of carbon dioxide, we need a reliable assessment of its affects on the deep-sea ecosystem based on an accurate model. For a better modeling, data regarding the long-term (chronic) effect of slightly increased concentration of carbon dioxide on the deep-sea organisms are prerequisite. Precise data regarding such biological characteristics can be obtained only from in-situ experiments. To develop a system for ecophysiological in-situ experiments of deep-sea organisms is thus as important as solving the technological problems related to the ocean sequestration of carbon dioxide.