University of Adelaide marine biologists have found that
reducing nutrient pollution in coastal marine environments should help protect
kelp forests from the damaging effects of rising CO2.
The researchers have found a combined effect on kelp forests
from nutrient pollution and higher CO2, which could have a devastating impact
on Australia's marine ecosystems.
"When we manipulated CO2 and nutrient levels in an
experimental marine ecosystem we found the effect of both of them together was
greater than the sum of their individual impacts," says Dr Bayden Russell,
of the University's Environment Institute and Senior Lecturer in the School of
Earth and Environmental Sciences.