Ocean iron fertilization from enhanced mid-ocean-ridge volcanism due to ice-age sea-level falls (opens in new tab)

Iron fertilization in high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions has been proposed to boost phytoplankton growth and enhance oceanic CO2 sequestration. While dust has long been recognized as a primary external iron source to these waters, recent discoveries highlight hydrothermal activity along mid-ocean ridges as a substantial contributor of iron to the deep ocean. However, it remains unclear whether hydrothermal iron directly impacts upper-ocean productivity. Pleistocene glacial cycles provide ...