Dr. Stasa Puskaric was featured in the Ice on Fire documentary, and presented his hypothesis on using Marine snow to help the ocean deal with excess CO2. By inducing the formation of Marine snow, we could help the ocean remove atmospheric CO2, and Marine snow could be a drawdown method implemented to prevent global warming and climate change.
Dr. Stasa Puskaric was born 11. November 1961 in Zagreb, Croatia.
He currently works as a professor at RIT Croatia. He teaches Environmental Science and Senior Project (Bachelor thesis) courses.
MAIN RESEARCH/INTEREST TOPICS
My work at the Center for marine research in Rovinj was mainly focused on the scientific project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia entitled “Cycling of the organic matter in the ecosystem of the northern Adriatic Sea”.
Main goals of my research were sedimentation of particles and their influence on the cycling of organic matter in the ecosystem of the northern Adriatic Sea, inorganic-organic matter interactions within the water column, the processes involved in the formation of organic aggregates, their influence on sedimentation of particulate matter and physiology of phytoplankton extracellular release of organic matter. Most recently my research is focused on sequestration techniques to remove the anthropogenic fraction of CO2 from the atmosphere using the potentials of the Southern Oceans.
From 1998 I’m actively involved in different activities/initiatives associated with sustainable development and anthropogenic influence on natural ecosystems. In collaboration with UNDP and Ministry of Environmental protection and nature I was involved in COAST (Conservation Management of Croatia’s Coastal Zone Biodiversity) project development. Other activities include construction of sustainable houses (refer to http://www.soline6.com) and composting public toilet facilities.
EDUCATION
B.A. University of Zagreb, Geology 1985
M.S. University of Zagreb, Geology (Oceanography) 1988
Ph.D. University of Zagreb, Oceanography 1991
WORK HISTORY
1988 – 1991: scientific assistant at the “Ruđer Bošković” Institute, Center for Marine Research Rovinj, Croatia
1991 – 1998: higher scientific assistant at the “Ruđer Bošković ” Institute, Center for Marine Research Rovinj, Croatia
1998 – current: director of CLIVUS-ERA d.o.o., Soline, Croatia
2000 – 2001: Natural Resource Manager, National Park ¨Mljet¨, Croatia
2000 – current: legal representative of Compostera AB (http://www.compostera.com) Sweden for Eastern Europe region
2001 – current: Professor (Environmental Science and Senior Project courses), RIT Croatia, campus Dubrovnik and campus Zagreb, Croatia
PROJECTS/SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS
1987-1989: Fellowship with the State University of Utrecht, Department of Stratigraphy and Paleontology under the program entitled “The influence of eutrophication on the distribution of benthic foraminifera in the northern Adriatic Sea”.
1988-1998: Involved in the project at the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia entitled “Cycling of organic matter in the northern Adriatic ecosystem”.
1990-1995: Fellowship with the Department of Biology of the University of Vienna, Austria under the Joint project of the Ministry of construction and environmental protection of the Republic of Croatia and Osservatorio Alto Adriatico (Alpe-Adria) “Causes and consequences of the formation of organic aggregates in the northern Adriatic”.
1993: Recipient of Lise Meitner scientific research scholarship from the Austrian National Scientific Fundation, academic year 1993/94
1996 – 1998: Fellowship with the State University of Utrecht, Department of Stratigraphy and Paleontology under the program entitled “Seasonality, trophic variability and microhabitat structure: the reliability of benthic foraminifera as paleoceanological tools”
1996-1997 – recipient of Fulbright scientific research scholarship (Council for International Exchange of Scholars) for 1996/97 academic years.
Dr Staša PUŠKARIĆ – relevant publications
Peer reviewed publications
Puškarić, S., Berger, G.W. and Jorissen, F.J. 1990. Successive appearance of subfossil phytoplankton species in Holocene sediments of the northern Adriatic and its relation to the increased eutrophication pressure. Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci. 31: 177-187.
Barmawidjaja, D.M., Jorissen, F.J., Puškarić, S. and Van der Zwaan, G.J. 1992. Microhabitat selection by benthic foraminifera in the northern Adriatic Sea. J. foram. Res. 22: 297-317.
Jorissen, F.J., Barmawidjaja, D.M., Puškarić, S. and van der Zwaan, G.J. 1992. Vertical distribution of benthic foraminifera in the northern Adriatic Sea: The relation with the organic flux. Mar. Micropaleont. 19: 131-146.
Puškarić, S., Fowler, S.W. and Miquel, J.-C. 1992. Temporal changes in particulate flux in the northern Adriatic Sea. Estuar. coast. Shelf Sci. 35: 267-287.
Puškarić, S. 1993. Identification and quantification of coccolithophorids by transmission light microscopy. J. microbiol. Methods 4: 305-310.
Slezak, D.M., Puškarić, S. and Herndl, G.J. 1994. Potential role of acrylic acid in bacterioplankton communities in the sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 105: 191-197.
Najdek, M., Puškarić, S. and Bochdansky, A.B. 1994. Contribution of zooplankton lipids to the flux of organic matter in the northern Adriatic Sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 111: 241-249.
Barmawidjaja, D.M., van der Zwaan, G.J., Jorissen, F.J. and Puškarić, S. 1995. 150 years of eutrophication in the northern Adriatic Sea: Evidence from a benthic foraminiferal record. Mar. Geol. 122: 367‑384.
Bochdansky, A.B., Herndl, G.J. and Puškarić, S. 1995. Influence of zooplankton grazing on free dissolved enzymes in the sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 121: 53‑63.
Weinbauer, M.G., Fuks, D., Puškarić, S. and Peduzzi, P. 1995. Diel, seasonal, and depth‑related variability of viruses and dissolved DNA in the northern Adriatic Sea. Microb.Ecol. 30: 25‑41.
Müller‑Niklas, G., Heisenberger, A., Puškarić, S. and Herndl, G.J. 1995. Ultraviolet‑B radiation and bacterial metabolism in coastal waters. Aquat. Microb. Ecol. 9: 111‑116.
Puškarić, S. and Smodlaka, N. 1997. Production of particulate and dissolved organic carbon by marine phytoplankton in the light and in the dark. Period. biol. 99: 193-203.
Müller, W.E.G., Riemer, S., Kurelec, B., Smodlaka, N., Puškarić, S., Jagić, B., Müller-Niklas, G. and Queric, N. 1998. Chemosensitizers of the multixenobiotic resistance in amorphous aggregates (marine snow): etiology of mass killing on the benthos in the Northern Adriatic? Environ. Toixicol. Pharmacol. 6: 229-238.
Puškarić, S. and Mortain-Bertrand, A. 2003. Physiology of diatom Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve photosynthetic extracellular release: evidence for a novel coupling between marine bacteria and phytoplankton. J. Plankton Res. 25(10): 1227-1235.
Edvardsen, H. i Puškarić, S. 2012. Volunttary support of scientific research: A road to a more sustainable future. RIThink. 1: 33-39.
Mladinić, M. i Puškarić, S. 2012. Ccellulosic ethanol as our future fuel: turning waste into energy. RIThink. 1: 39-43.
Puškarić, S. 2012. Ecology of gel-like marine snow event in the northern Adriatic Sea. Acta Adriatica. 53(3): 375-387.
Puškarić, S. 2012. Kompostni sustavi – prirodno i održivo rješenje za zaštitu dva najvrjednija resursa – zemlje i vode [Composting systems – natural and sustainable solution for the protection of two most valuable resources – soil and water]. Hrvatske vode. 199: 32-36.
Puškarić, S., Mlakar, M., Vukosav, P., Bobanović-Ćolić, S. and Hrustić, E. 2012. Flexible selection of iron sources by marine phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria related to temperature. RIThink. 2: 33-39.
Puškarić, S. and Oros, D. 2012. Effects of various fuel blends on the performance of a two-stroke internal combustion engine. RIThink. 2: 44-49.
Petersen, C. and Puškarić, S. 2012. The theory of needs: revision for the 21st century. RIThink. 2: 2-4.
International scientific meetings
Barmawidjaja, D.M., Jorissen, F.J., Puškarić, S. and van der Zwaan, G.J. 1990. Vertical distribution of benthic foraminifera in relation with the carbon flux. A critical “state of the art”. Abstract Volume of the IX ‘th Congress of the Regional Committee of Mediterranean Neogene Stratigraphy. Special Symposium “Ancient ecosystems as monitors of organic fluxes”. Barcelona, December 1990.
Jorissen, F.J., Barmawidjaja, D.M., van der Zwaan, G.J. and Puškarić, S. 1992. A benthic foraminiferal record documenting the onset of eutrophication in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Rapp. Comm. int. Mer. Médit. 33: 348.
Puškarić, S. 1995. Bacterioplankton utilization of photosynthetical extracellular release (PER) adsorbwed to clay particles. Abstract Volume of the Sixth International Workshop on the Measurement of Microbial Activities in the Cycling of Matter in Aquatic Environments. International Workshop “Aquatic Microbial Ecology”. Konstanz, Germany, April 17-22, 1995.
Puškarić, S. 1997. Role of clay minerals in bacterial degradation of dissolved organic matter in the sea. ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 10-14 1997.
Puškarić, S. 2004. Iron fertilization of the Oceans: is there a way to do it right? Physiological aspects of the microbial community. SCAR Open Science Conference “Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the Global System” 26-28 July 2004, Bremen, Germany.
Invited lectures
Puškarić, S. Role of clay minerals in bacterial degradation of phytoplankton derived organic matter in the Sea, Horn Point Environmental Laboratories, CEES, University of Maryland, Cambridge, 25.09.1996.
Puškarić, S. Role of clay minerals in bacterial degradation of phytoplankton derived organic matter in the Sea, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA, 17.10.1996.
Puškarić, S. Architecture vs. functioning of natural ecosystems. Croatian chamber of construction engineers and architects, Zagreb, Croatia. Lecture presented at the International University Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 01.12.2008.
PATENTS
Puškarić, S. 2010. A method of sequestering atmospheric carbon into a deep body of water. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Application Number 61/373,246 from 12 August 2010. Confirmation No. 1411.
Puškarić, S. 2010. Motor s rotacionim i oscilirajućim klipovima [Motor with rotary and oscillating pistons]. Republic of Croatia State Intellectual Property Office. Register patent application number P20100510A from 20 September 2010.
Marine snow as a climate solution 