Have you ever thought about how Sahara dust could affect life in the Atlantic Ocean? It’s not something that immediately comes to mind, but the iron contained in desert sand plays a fundamental role for the marine ecosystem. This phenomenon was studied by an international team who demonstrated how the sand from the Sahara, pushed by the winds towards the Atlantic, carries with it iron, an essential nutrient for many marine organisms.
As Sahara sand travels westward, the iron present in its particles changes shape and becomes more bioavailable. In other words, the further it travels, the more useful it becomes for marine life. This happens thanks to chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere. A bit like when you prepare a tea: the hot water transforms the dried leaves into a drink full of flavour. Likewise, the atmosphere “prepares” iron, making it usable for the organisms that populate the ocean.
Here is an interesting example from the Sahara: the ocean receives a gift from the desert
Imagine a big sandstorm in the Sahara. The particles, driven by the winds, rise into the sky and begin their journey towards the Atlantic Ocean. After traveling hundreds, if not thousands of kilometers, these particles do they deposit into the water, taking the iron with it. This now bioavailable iron is rapidly used by marine organisms, such as phytoplankton, which depend on this nutrient to grow. In fact, without this “help” from the Sahara, many areas of the Atlantic would be less rich in life.
This discovery was possible thanks to a study conducted by taking sediment samples from the Atlantic seabed. The researchers looked at iron content in four different areas: near Mauritania, in the mid-Atlantic and even near the coast of Florida. The further the samples were from the Sahara, the more iron was used by organisms along the way.
Have you ever wondered how important a single element can be?
Iron transported from the Sahara is just one example of how ecosystems are interconnected. Without this dust, many areas of the Atlantic Ocean would not receive the substances necessary to support marine life. And to think that it all starts with a simple sandstorm in the desert!
Have you ever thought about how many other similar phenomena can happen in nature without us realizing it? Probably, many life processes are influenced by factors that we never consider, such as the wind that transports sand for thousands of kilometers.
Keep learning about these amazing phenomena! Nature is full of wonders and, often, behind apparently random events, fundamental interactions for our planet are hidden.
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