Researchers Discover New Information Regarding Atmospheric Dust Nourishing Oceans
Research led by Oregon State University (OSU) scientists has identified new information on the role that dust plays in nourishing global ocean ecosystems while helping regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
OSU oceanographer Toby Westberry said this is the first time it has been shown that nutrients carried by dust being deposited on the ocean are creating a response in the surface ocean biology.
Westberry, the lead author of the study, collaborated with other scientists from OSU, the University of Maryland, Baltimore Country (UMBC) and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on the research published in the journal Science.
Study results released in mid-May revealed the extent and magnitude of the impact of the dust, particles from sources such as soil that are lifted by the wind and t...