Pitcher Grant C.

No Thumbnail Available
Last Name
Pitcher
First Name
Grant C.
ORCID

Filters

2005 - 2010 3
2 1
3
Reset filters

Settings

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Preprint
    Ocean urea fertilization for carbon credits poses high ecological risks
    ( 2008) Glibert, Patricia M. ; Azanza, Rhodora ; Burford, Michele ; Furuya, Ken ; Abal, Eva ; Al-Azri, Adnan ; Al-Yamani, Faiza ; Andersen, Per ; Anderson, Donald M. ; Beardall, John ; Berg, Gry M. ; Brand, Larry E. ; Bronk, Deborah ; Brookes, Justin ; Burkholder, JoAnn M. ; Cembella, Allan D. ; Cochlan, William P. ; Collier, Jackie L. ; Collos, Yves ; Diaz, Robert ; Doblin, Martina ; Drennen, Thomas ; Dyhrman, Sonya T. ; Fukuyo, Yasuwo ; Furnas, Miles ; Galloway, James ; Graneli, Edna ; Ha, Dao Viet ; Hallegraeff, Gustaaf M. ; Harrison, John A. ; Harrison, Paul J. ; Heil, Cynthia A. ; Heimann, Kirsten ; Howarth, Robert W. ; Jauzein, Cecile ; Kana, Austin A. ; Kana, Todd M. ; Kim, Hakgyoon ; Kudela, Raphael M. ; Legrand, Catherine ; Mallin, Michael ; Mulholland, Margaret R. ; Murray, Shauna A. ; O’Neil, Judith ; Pitcher, Grant C. ; Qi, Yuzao ; Rabalais, Nancy ; Raine, Robin ; Seitzinger, Sybil P. ; Salomon, Paulo S. ; Solomon, Caroline ; Stoecker, Diane K. ; Usup, Gires ; Wilson, Joanne ; Yin, Kedong ; Zhou, Mingjiang ; Zhu, Mingyuan
    The proposed plan for enrichment of the Sulu Sea, Philippines, a region of rich marine biodiversity, with thousands of tonnes of urea in order to stimulate algal blooms and sequester carbon is flawed for multiple reasons. Urea is preferentially used as a nitrogen source by some cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates, many of which are neutrally or positively buoyant. Biological pumps to the deep sea are classically leaky, and the inefficient burial of new biomass makes the estimation of a net loss of carbon from the atmosphere questionable at best. The potential for growth of toxic dinoflagellates is also high, as many grow well on urea and some even increase their toxicity when grown on urea. Many toxic dinoflagellates form cysts which can settle to the sediment and germinate in subsequent years, forming new blooms even without further fertilization. If large-scale blooms do occur, it is likely that they will contribute to hypoxia in the bottom waters upon decomposition. Lastly, urea production requires fossil fuel usage, further limiting the potential for net carbon sequestration. The environmental and economic impacts are potentially great and need to be rigorously assessed.
  • Article
    The IOC International Harmful Bloom Program : history and science impacts
    (Oceanography Society, 2010-09) Anderson, Donald M. ; Reguera, Beatriz ; Pitcher, Grant C. ; Enevoldsen, Henrik O.
    Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become an important subdiscipline within oceanography. Heightened attention to this topic as well as significant research advances reflect the global nature of the problem and the development of strong national and international programs for HAB research and management. The planning, communication, coordination, and capacity-building activities of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) have been a key factor in this growth. Here, we highlight selected advances in science and management capacity for HABs and document the impressive growth of the field in the context of activities supported directly or indirectly by IOC. As we look to the future, the field has significant momentum and stability. Nevertheless, it will require scientific guidance and coordination going forward. With an appropriate commitment of resources from member states, the IOC HAB program can continue to be a major factor in the sustained growth of this important scientific discipline and its delivery of improved observation and management systems.
  • Article
    The comparative "systems" approach to HAB research
    (Oceanography Society, 2005-06) Anderson, Donald M. ; Pitcher, Grant C. ; Estrada, Marta
    Experimental and comparative methods have been referred to as “the two great methods of science” (Mayr, 1982). To reach valid scientific conclusions, the processes of interest should be studied through repeated investigations, preferably over a range of differing conditions. The most direct way to accomplish this is the experimental method, wherein controls are imposed that allow the scientist to systematically vary conditions of interest while holding other factors constant. Marine ecosystems, however, are not amenable to experimental control. One way to address this shortcoming is through the comparative method (Mayr, 1982), which allows the processes of interest to be examined on repeated occasions using naturally occurring temporal and spatial variations in existing conditions and phenomena. In this case, the range of natural variability in conditions and mechanisms substitute for controlled experimental treatments.