Today's Headlines - 05 August 2023
Mineral iron is important in ocean ecosystems
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)
According to new research published in Nature, mineral forms of iron play an important role in regulating the cycling of this bio-essential nutrient in the ocean. The discoveries pave the way for future research into the relationship between the iron and carbon cycles, as well as how changing ocean oxygen levels may interact.
More about the research
The research, led by the University of Liverpool and involving collaborators from the United States, Australia, and France, aims to fill a knowledge gap in ocean science.
The early Earth's ocean was low in oxygen and high in iron, which served as a catalyst in many biological reactions. These include photosynthesis, which oxygenated the earth's system through its proliferation.
Because iron is less soluble in well-oxygenated seawater, precipitation and sinking of iron oxides resulted in a decrease in iron levels.
As a result, iron now plays a critical role in regulating ocean productivity and thus ecosystems throughout the modern ocean.
It is thought that organic molecules called ligands, which bind iron, regulate iron levels above their soluble thresholds.
This viewpoint has underpinned the representation of the marine iron cycle in global models used to investigate how future climate changes will affect levels of biological productivity.
However, oceanographers have been perplexed as to why there appeared to be a much larger loss of iron due to insolubility in the ocean than would be expected based on the measured high levels of ligands.
In general, ocean models built in accordance with the expected pattern have performed poorly in reproducing observations.
#upsc #news #headline #mineral #iron #ocean #ecosystem #enviroment #bioessential #nutrient #carboncycles #oxygenlevels #liverpool #US #Australia #france #photosynthesis #ligands #climatechanges #bindiron #regulateiron #seawater #earth
Mineral iron is important in ocean ecosystems
GS Paper - 3 (Environment)
According to new research published in Nature, mineral forms of iron play an important role in regulating the cycling of this bio-essential nutrient in the ocean. The discoveries pave the way for future research into the relationship between the iron and carbon cycles, as well as how changing ocean oxygen levels may interact.
More about the research
The research, led by the University of Liverpool and involving collaborators from the United States, Australia, and France, aims to fill a knowledge gap in ocean science.
The early Earth's ocean was low in oxygen and high in iron, which served as a catalyst in many biological reactions. These include photosynthesis, which oxygenated the earth's system through its proliferation.
Because iron is less soluble in well-oxygenated seawater, precipitation and sinking of iron oxides resulted in a decrease in iron levels.
As a result, iron now plays a critical role in regulating ocean productivity and thus ecosystems throughout the modern ocean.
It is thought that organic molecules called ligands, which bind iron, regulate iron levels above their soluble thresholds.
This viewpoint has underpinned the representation of the marine iron cycle in global models used to investigate how future climate changes will affect levels of biological productivity.
However, oceanographers have been perplexed as to why there appeared to be a much larger loss of iron due to insolubility in the ocean than would be expected based on the measured high levels of ligands.
In general, ocean models built in accordance with the expected pattern have performed poorly in reproducing observations.
#upsc #news #headline #mineral #iron #ocean #ecosystem #enviroment #bioessential #nutrient #carboncycles #oxygenlevels #liverpool #US #Australia #france #photosynthesis #ligands #climatechanges #bindiron #regulateiron #seawater #earth
Today's Headlines - 07 August 2023
Offshore mining and mineral auctions
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
In a significant step toward exploiting India's offshore resources, the Council of States passed the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill (OAMDR), 2023. The Bill represents a transformative change for the offshore mining sector, which has remained largely inactive since the enactment of the OAMDR Act in 2002.
More about the Bill
It aims to increase transparency in the allocation of minerals found in the country's offshore basins, permitting the granting of production leases exclusively through auctions and reserving some allocations for government entities and public sector units (PSUs).
The passage of the Bill marks a historic milestone, unlocking India's vast mineral-rich offshore areas.
This move promises strategic benefits, strengthening the nation's territorial waters, which have been frequently threatened by neighboring countries.
The extraction of minerals from these areas is expected to bolster India's strategic position further.
Auctions as primary means
The Bill stipulates a fixed 50-year production lease for offshore minerals. Under this new legislation, the government plans to introduce auctions as the primary means to award production leases for offshore minerals.
The amendment enables the granting of production leases to the private sector solely through competitive bidding auctions.
Under the composite licensing system, explorers will also have the right to develop and mine minerals under a single license.
The Bill introduces a four-year timeline for the start of production and dispatch following the execution of a composite license or production lease.
It also establishes a two-year timeline (extendable by one year) for the resumption of production and dispatch after a discontinuation.
#upsc #news #headline #offshore #mineral #polity #resources #development #regulation #OAMDR #bill #PSU #india #strategic #water #nations #territorial #award #production #lease #legislation #singlelicense #compositelicensing #historic #milestone #amendment
Offshore mining and mineral auctions
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
In a significant step toward exploiting India's offshore resources, the Council of States passed the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill (OAMDR), 2023. The Bill represents a transformative change for the offshore mining sector, which has remained largely inactive since the enactment of the OAMDR Act in 2002.
More about the Bill
It aims to increase transparency in the allocation of minerals found in the country's offshore basins, permitting the granting of production leases exclusively through auctions and reserving some allocations for government entities and public sector units (PSUs).
The passage of the Bill marks a historic milestone, unlocking India's vast mineral-rich offshore areas.
This move promises strategic benefits, strengthening the nation's territorial waters, which have been frequently threatened by neighboring countries.
The extraction of minerals from these areas is expected to bolster India's strategic position further.
Auctions as primary means
The Bill stipulates a fixed 50-year production lease for offshore minerals. Under this new legislation, the government plans to introduce auctions as the primary means to award production leases for offshore minerals.
The amendment enables the granting of production leases to the private sector solely through competitive bidding auctions.
Under the composite licensing system, explorers will also have the right to develop and mine minerals under a single license.
The Bill introduces a four-year timeline for the start of production and dispatch following the execution of a composite license or production lease.
It also establishes a two-year timeline (extendable by one year) for the resumption of production and dispatch after a discontinuation.
#upsc #news #headline #offshore #mineral #polity #resources #development #regulation #OAMDR #bill #PSU #india #strategic #water #nations #territorial #award #production #lease #legislation #singlelicense #compositelicensing #historic #milestone #amendment