A massive phytoplankton bloom induced by an ecosystem-scale iron fertilization experiment in the equatorial Pacific Ocean
Kenneth H. Coale, Kenneth S. Johnson, Steve E. Fitzwater, R. Michael Gordon, Sara Tanner, Francisco P. Chavez, Laurie Ferioli, Carole Sakamoto, Paul Rogers, Frank Millero, Paul Steinberg, Phil Nightingale, David Cooper, William P. Cochlan 1996 Nature v383 p495
The seeding of an expanse of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean with low concentrations of dissolved iron triggered a massive phytoplankton bloom which consumed large quantities of carbon dioxide and nitrate that these microscopic plants cannot fully utilize under natural conditions. These and other observations provide unequivocal support for the hypothesis that phytoplankton growth in this oceanic region is limited by iron bioavailability.
