Iron is a key limiting micro-nutrient for marine primary productivity. Itcan be supplied to the ocean by atmospheric dust deposition. Volcanic ashdeposition into the ocean represents another external and so far largelyneglected source of iron. This study demonstrates strong evidence fornatural fertilisation in the iron-limited oceanic area of the NE Pacific,induced by volcanic ash from the eruption of Kasatochi volcano in August2008. Atmospheric and oceanic conditions were favourable to generate amassive phytoplankton bloom in the NE Pacific Ocean which for the first timestrongly suggests a connection between oceanic iron-fertilisation andvolcanic ash supply.
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