HRI Lecture Series - "Ocean Solutions: Exploring the effects of marine carbon removal on coral reefs"

"Ocean Solutions: Exploring the effects of marine carbon removal on coral reefs"

DR. ZACHARY A. QUINLAN
DR. CONALL MCNICHOLL
HAWAI'I INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA

In recent years, the tech industry has seen a surge in the development of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, particularly focusing on ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) to combat climate change. OAE involves dissolving minerals like limestone or olivine in the ocean to increase carbon dioxide absorption. However, the impact of OAE on marine life, especially coral reefs already threatened by warming and acidification, remains uncertain. Our research aims to assess the effects of OAE on coral reefs and water microbial communities, providing a framework for measurement and verification. Through controlled experiments and biogeochemical modeling, we will evaluate environmental impacts and the efficacy of OAE in reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. This work will inform future strategies for climate change mitigation. Come learn more about CDR techniques and the exciting work that we are doing to create ocean solutions.

Dr. Zach Quinlan obtained his PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2023, working on leveraging untargeted metabolomics to understand dissolved organic matter on coral reefs and create active conservation and restoration tools for coral reefs. Since 2021 he has served as an expert reviewer for Stripe Climate and Frontier Climates, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) initiative. During summer 2023 he received an NSF-OCE post-doctoral research fellowship to study the ecologic impacts and implications of ocean alkalinity enhancement on coral reef ecosystems.

Dr. Conall McNicholl is a research biologist at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) investigating the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on coral reefs. He focuses on identifying organismal mechanisms that enable persistence in a rapidly changing environment. Prior to HIMB, he was a research consultant at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Monaco, where he examined environmental influences of heavy metal accumulation in seafood. Dr. McNicholl obtained a PhD from Florida Atlantic University in 2019, studying the effects of increasing carbon dioxide and temperature on calcifying reef algae.