70% of the planet is filled with salted water, which are thriving ecosystems.
Is there any reason I'm missing why expanding the ocean won't just give us more ocean?
Is there any reason I'm missing why expanding the ocean won't just give us more ocean?
And that is with industrial levels of salt harvesting. Would we expect the salt harvesting of these inland seas to be equal to or greater than the daily inflow of salt via the sea water? Seems dubious to me.
On the other hand, there are still many other benefits. Migratory birds love the Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake Effect[0] on precipitation in this desert seems unambiguously positive.
Too bad it's going away.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/10/utah-gre...
With the various pipeline/tunnel/channel options that are admittedly more realistic, at least at first, there might very well be the kind of problems you mention.
some birds, flying:
"hey you want to come and eat some shrimp?"
"yeah I could go for some shrimp, know anywhere good?"
"well yes actually, but it's a bit of a trek"
"okay cool, sky trip!"
That said, as a shallow and, at least at first, nutrient rich part of the ocean it could be a flourishing part of it. But if it’s filled via underground pipe, it’ll be isolated from sources of ocean life.
I think most of the oceans are a barren wasteland.
Could be wrong.
In my mind, these new seas would have a steady influx of salt water, but only sweet water would evaporate out of them. And since I don't see the mechanism by which salt would get sequestered or removed from these bassins, I'd also guest their salt concentration would rise quite quickly.
Of course, it might still be interesting to have a huge water surface in the area that effectively serves as a rain generator, but it might not be the same thriving ecosystem we imagine when we say "ocean".