A few words on dropping Oxygen levels
Several days ago, I spoke to a person who works at the Scrips Aquarium about what the effects would be, if all the ocean's plankton died off and stopped producing oxygen. She said the ocean produced 51% of the atmospheric oxygen, I recalled a figure of 70%. I concluded that if plankton all died in her scenario, we'd have the effective oxygen level at 0 altitude corresponding to what it now is at 4,000 meters in Tibet. She seemed unconcerned.
This is what the Nation Geographic [1] does quote:
It appears that either I remembered correctly, or the 40 percent drop was not reflected in new reality.
The proportion of plankton's output of oxygen has dropped, but for sure it was not picked up by landmass vegetation as it too is being destroyed by fires, urbanization and desertification. This means that the 70% calculation is a valid way to see where we are. 40% drop in plankton, without replacement and additional global oxygen production losses, at the very least will result in long term oxygen production loss of 28%. This means that the present oxygen production loss due to 40% plankton die off with no further plankton decline could result in global oxygen dropping at sea level to what it now is in Aspen, CO at.... 8000 feet. [2]
Keep in mind this 40% drop in plankton is what already has happened and oceanic dead zones widen on annual basis. Plankton is projected to... and may all die. Resulting in this scenario:
In this case, at 0 meters altitude or at sea level, we will face an effective oxygen level worse than at the top of Mount Everest, making Earth basically uninhabitable for humans, without artificial oxygen production technologies.
While Oxygen levels continue to slide, this happens slowly over time as the atmospheric oxygen can simply sit there, without new oxygen being produced by plankton. However, oxygen is absorbed by the ocean, increasing its acidity and this process will kill off more plankton; moreover this process cannot be stopped until the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide reaches a point of new equilibrium.
Oxygen is also bound to carbon dioxide by burning of things, like fossil fuels, houses and forests. Forests decline globally, further reducing oxygen production. Oxygen may not quickly disappear to the worst case scenario of 6.27% in a few years if all plankton is gone, but it will be bound into carbon dioxide for as long as things burn... and things will burn as the planet warms, so oxygen will be removed from the atmosphere. Another factor that will remove oxygen from the atmosphere is methane as it reacts with the hydroxyl radical [3].
"As methane rises into the air, it reacts with the hydroxyl radical to create water vapor and carbon dioxide. The lifespan of methane in the atmosphere was estimated at 9.6 years as of 2001; however, increasing emissions of methane over time reduce the concentration of the hydroxyl radical in the atmosphere."
Methane release has just begun on a massive scale. [4] I recall a 50 Gt figure, but because lakes and Arctic ocean's bottom release methane as well, this may turn out to be an underestimation by two to three orders of magnitude. [5] It is calculable how much oxygen this methane release will trap by converting it into water and carbon dioxide. The atmosphere's mass is approximately 51.5 million Gt, but molecules of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor and even argon all have higher atomic weights than atmospheric oxygen than ozone meaning that the total mass of free oxygen in the atmospheric oxygen is far less than 20.9% of 51.5 million Gt. [6]
Oceanic dead zones mean that oxygen is being bound or consumed and removed from the ecological cycle. This cycle is threatened with a mass extinction and plankton is clearly a crucial element. What else can remove oxygen from Earth atmosphere? CFCs knocked a hole the size of Antarctica in the ozone layer. Ozone is oxygen. It is the collapse of ecosystems or the rise of new biota that can exponentially quickly use up atmospheric oxygen that is the most worrying [7]:
Finally, an oxygen drop like this has already happened in Earth's history. The Permian–Triassic extinction event saw atmospheric oxygen level drop to near nothing, though the pace of the event spanned millions of years. [8]
Unfortunately, the reality of Anthropocene is that all three distinct pulses, or phases, of extinction that occurred during the Permian–Triassic extinction event, are now occurring simultaneously and not over millions of years, but over the span of the last century and a half. [9]
Now, I did warn in the scope of Chinese air pollution that humans will have viable business models for selling breathable air and as a psy-ops, canned air was sold, then the idea picked up commercially, but the plankton die off and resultant atmospheric oxygen drop is on a trajectory to become an existential issue for everyone going outdoors on the whole planet. Oxygen tanks won't do.
I also proposed a solar powered helmet solution that will work as personal air conditioning and climate control, in addition to being an anti-pollution and personal communication, augmented and virtual reality computing device. It can also work as a direct to brain communication device that can be selective and work as RF shielding against brain hacking. Presently it seems that nearly everyone may eventually need one. Are the Chinese working on it?!
1. Save the Plankton, Breathe Freely. How do plankton affect the air we breathe?
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/save-the-plankton-breathe-freely/
2. Altitude Safety 101: Oxygen Levels
https://www.wildsafe.org/resources/outdoor-safety-101/altitude-safety-101/high-altitude-oxygen-levels/
3. Atmospheric methane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_methane
4. NASA HAS DISCOVERED ARCTIC LAKES BUBBLING WITH METHANE—AND THAT’S VERY BAD NEWS
https://www.newsweek.com/arctic-permafrost-lakes-bubbling-methane-nasa-1119624
5. Methane Hydrates and Contemporary Climate Change
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/methane-hydrates-and-contemporary-climate-change-24314790
6. Atmosphere of Earth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
7. Earth's Atmospheric Oxygen Levels Continue Long Slide
https://www.livescience.com/56219-earth-atmospheric-oxygen-levels-declining.html
8. A graph of atmospheric oxygen levels over time.
https://nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=54491&from=
9. Permian–Triassic extinction event
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permian%E2%80%93Triassic_extinction_event
This is what the Nation Geographic [1] does quote:
"Prochlorococcus and other ocean phytoplankton are responsible for 70 percent of Earth's oxygen production. However, some scientists believe that phytoplankton levels have declined by 40 percent since 1950 due to the warming of the ocean. Ocean temperature impacts the number of phytoplankton in the ocean."
It appears that either I remembered correctly, or the 40 percent drop was not reflected in new reality.
The proportion of plankton's output of oxygen has dropped, but for sure it was not picked up by landmass vegetation as it too is being destroyed by fires, urbanization and desertification. This means that the 70% calculation is a valid way to see where we are. 40% drop in plankton, without replacement and additional global oxygen production losses, at the very least will result in long term oxygen production loss of 28%. This means that the present oxygen production loss due to 40% plankton die off with no further plankton decline could result in global oxygen dropping at sea level to what it now is in Aspen, CO at.... 8000 feet. [2]
Keep in mind this 40% drop in plankton is what already has happened and oceanic dead zones widen on annual basis. Plankton is projected to... and may all die. Resulting in this scenario:
In this case, at 0 meters altitude or at sea level, we will face an effective oxygen level worse than at the top of Mount Everest, making Earth basically uninhabitable for humans, without artificial oxygen production technologies.
While Oxygen levels continue to slide, this happens slowly over time as the atmospheric oxygen can simply sit there, without new oxygen being produced by plankton. However, oxygen is absorbed by the ocean, increasing its acidity and this process will kill off more plankton; moreover this process cannot be stopped until the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide reaches a point of new equilibrium.
Oxygen is also bound to carbon dioxide by burning of things, like fossil fuels, houses and forests. Forests decline globally, further reducing oxygen production. Oxygen may not quickly disappear to the worst case scenario of 6.27% in a few years if all plankton is gone, but it will be bound into carbon dioxide for as long as things burn... and things will burn as the planet warms, so oxygen will be removed from the atmosphere. Another factor that will remove oxygen from the atmosphere is methane as it reacts with the hydroxyl radical [3].
"As methane rises into the air, it reacts with the hydroxyl radical to create water vapor and carbon dioxide. The lifespan of methane in the atmosphere was estimated at 9.6 years as of 2001; however, increasing emissions of methane over time reduce the concentration of the hydroxyl radical in the atmosphere."
Methane release has just begun on a massive scale. [4] I recall a 50 Gt figure, but because lakes and Arctic ocean's bottom release methane as well, this may turn out to be an underestimation by two to three orders of magnitude. [5] It is calculable how much oxygen this methane release will trap by converting it into water and carbon dioxide. The atmosphere's mass is approximately 51.5 million Gt, but molecules of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor and even argon all have higher atomic weights than atmospheric oxygen than ozone meaning that the total mass of free oxygen in the atmospheric oxygen is far less than 20.9% of 51.5 million Gt. [6]
Oceanic dead zones mean that oxygen is being bound or consumed and removed from the ecological cycle. This cycle is threatened with a mass extinction and plankton is clearly a crucial element. What else can remove oxygen from Earth atmosphere? CFCs knocked a hole the size of Antarctica in the ozone layer. Ozone is oxygen. It is the collapse of ecosystems or the rise of new biota that can exponentially quickly use up atmospheric oxygen that is the most worrying [7]:
"Atmospheric oxygen levels are fundamentally linked to the evolution of life on Earth, as well as changes in geochemical cycles related to climate variations. As such, scientists have long sought to reconstruct how atmospheric oxygen levels fluctuated in the past, and what might control these shifts."Animals and humans breathe oxygen, so if the biomass of land dwelling animals remains constant or increases, in the long term the new point of equilibrium would be the worst case scenario as oxygen would simply be converted to carbon dioxide by humans and other animals due to respiration. As catastrophes cause a mass extinction and curb human population growth, atmospheric oxygen consumption by animal biomass will decline. On the bright side, as oxygen level drops, things won't burn as easily.
Finally, an oxygen drop like this has already happened in Earth's history. The Permian–Triassic extinction event saw atmospheric oxygen level drop to near nothing, though the pace of the event spanned millions of years. [8]
"There is evidence for one to three distinct pulses, or phases, of extinction. Suggested mechanisms for the latter include one or more large meteor impact events, massive volcanism such as that of the Siberian Traps, and the ensuing coal or gas fires and explosions, and a runaway greenhouse effect triggered by sudden release of methane from the sea floor due to methane clathrate dissociation according to the clathrate gun hypothesis or methane-producing microbes known as methanogens."There were at least two significant meteor events in the 150 year time frame, Tunguska event and Chelyabinsk meteor, with atmospheric nuclear tests & attacks adding 510 megatons worth of explosions. Anthropogenic global warming, methane release and large volcanic eruptions are all ongoing events. Methanogenesis will increase as polar covers melt and temperatures rise. Biomass includes billions of humans and cattle that produce massive amounts of methane which in turn destroys oxygen in the atmosphere.
Now, I did warn in the scope of Chinese air pollution that humans will have viable business models for selling breathable air and as a psy-ops, canned air was sold, then the idea picked up commercially, but the plankton die off and resultant atmospheric oxygen drop is on a trajectory to become an existential issue for everyone going outdoors on the whole planet. Oxygen tanks won't do.
I also proposed a solar powered helmet solution that will work as personal air conditioning and climate control, in addition to being an anti-pollution and personal communication, augmented and virtual reality computing device. It can also work as a direct to brain communication device that can be selective and work as RF shielding against brain hacking. Presently it seems that nearly everyone may eventually need one. Are the Chinese working on it?!
1. Save the Plankton, Breathe Freely. How do plankton affect the air we breathe?
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/save-the-plankton-breathe-freely/
2. Altitude Safety 101: Oxygen Levels
https://www.wildsafe.org/resources/outdoor-safety-101/altitude-safety-101/high-altitude-oxygen-levels/
3. Atmospheric methane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_methane
4. NASA HAS DISCOVERED ARCTIC LAKES BUBBLING WITH METHANE—AND THAT’S VERY BAD NEWS
https://www.newsweek.com/arctic-permafrost-lakes-bubbling-methane-nasa-1119624
5. Methane Hydrates and Contemporary Climate Change
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/methane-hydrates-and-contemporary-climate-change-24314790
6. Atmosphere of Earth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
7. Earth's Atmospheric Oxygen Levels Continue Long Slide
https://www.livescience.com/56219-earth-atmospheric-oxygen-levels-declining.html
8. A graph of atmospheric oxygen levels over time.
https://nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=54491&from=
9. Permian–Triassic extinction event
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permian%E2%80%93Triassic_extinction_event
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