Wintertime Spike in Oceanic Iron Levels Detected Near Hawaii

Wintertime spike in oceanic iron levels detected near Hawaii

Around the world, phytoplankton in the upper ocean help to cycle key nutrients and regulate Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. These photosynthesizing organisms rely on dissolved iron as an essential micronutrient, meaning that when iron levels drop, phytoplankton activity drops, too.

Wintertime Spike in Oceanic Iron Levels Detected near Hawaii

Source: Geophysical Research Letters Around the world, phytoplankton in the upper ocean help to cycle key nutrients and regulate Earth’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. These photosynthesizing organisms rely on dissolved iron as an essential micronutrient, meaning that when iron levels drop, phytoplankton activity drops, too. However, the full details of dissolved iron dynamics in the upper ocean are unclear, limiting our understanding of t…