A new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science reveals that Saharan dust blown thousands of kilometers away is crucial for thriving oceanic life. The research found that iron bound to this dust changes properties as it travels, becoming more bioavailable and available for organisms to take up.
The study, led by Dr. Jeremy Owens from Florida State University, analyzed drill cores from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, collected by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). The researchers measured total iron concentrations and iron isotopes in the sediments, finding consistent evidence of dust from the Sahara.
The team discovered that only a fraction of total iron is bioavailable, but this fraction changes during transport. The results showed that the proportion of bioreactive iron was lower in western cores than eastern ones, suggesting that more bioreactive iron had been lost and used by organisms in the water column before reaching the sediments.
The study’s findings imply that dust- bound iron can have a significant impact on life at vast distances from its source. Dr. Timothy Lyons, a professor at the University of California, noted that this transported iron seems to be stimulating biological processes similar to iron fertilization.
This research provides evidence that Saharan dust can boost oceanic life thousands of kilometers away, highlighting the importance of understanding these long-distance transport mechanisms and their impact on global ecosystems.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-09-oceanic-life-saharan-blown-thousands.html