Acidifying ocean may stifle phytoplankton

Chemical changes in seawater make a key nutrient less available to these organisms

Depending on nature — or at least phytoplankton in the ocean — to absorb humans’ ever-increasing emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide probably won’t solve the problem, new research suggests.

A few scientists have long argued that increasing CO2 levels will stimulate long-term carbon-sopping plant growth, but the idea hasn’t proven true for land plants (SN: 12/16/00, p.