[Blueflag]

Basic chemistry tells us that increasing dissolved CO2 increases acidity.

Basic oceanography and biology tells us that increasing CO2 in the photic zone will increase phytoplankton growth, particularly when coupled with rising photic zone mean temperatures. NET: It's a good thing to increase CO2 levels in the photic zones of the world's oceans.

The limiting factor of phytoplankton growth is CO2 (presuming temp and sunlight are constant).

[cogitator]

The limiting factor of phytoplankton growth is CO2

CO2 has no significant effect. The main limiting factors on phytoplankton growth are the amount of available sunlight and the concentration of vital nutrients.

[SAJ]

Would you please discuss how dissolving carbon dioxide in salt water increases the level of hydrogen ionisation? This seems entirely counterintuitive.

TIA!

[Wonder Warthog]

"The limiting factor of phytoplankton growth is CO2 (presuming temp and sunlight are constant)."

I thought it had been shown that the limiting nutrient was trace iron??? And that adding just a small amount of iron caused massive blooms of phytoplankton??