Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Iron is a vital micronutrient essential for various life processes like respiration, photosynthesis, and DNA synthesis. The availability of iron in oceans is often limited, impacting the carbon fixation by phytoplankton and ultimately affecting global climate.
The presence of iron in oceans and ecosystems is influenced by factors like rivers, glaciers melting, hydrothermal activity, and wind transport. However, not all forms of iron are readily available for organisms to utilize.
A recent study published in Frontiers in Marine Science reveals that iron carried by dust from the Sahara Desert across the Atlantic Ocean undergoes changes in its properties based on the distance traveled. Dr. Jeremy Owens from Florida State University explains that longer distances result in more bioreactive iron forms due to atmospheric chemical processes.
To investigate this phenomenon further, Owens and his team analyzed drill cores from the Atlantic Ocean collected by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). By studying cores at varying distances from the Sahara-Sahel Dust Corridor – a significant source of dust-bound iron – they found intriguing insights into how atmospheric conditions impact iron bioavailability.
2024-09-20 01:15:02
Link from phys.org