Earthquakes in Antarctica trigger massive ocean blooms: Study
Stanford scientists just found that deep-sea earthquakes can actually boost giant phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean.
When quakes of magnitude 5 or higher hit before summer, these blooms get way bigger—sometimes covering an area as huge as California.
How do earthquakes help ocean life?
Turns out, seismic activity beneath the seafloor can mobilize iron-rich nutrients from hydrothermal vents about 1,800 meters below the surface.
It takes weeks for these nutrients to reach the surface, but when they do, they fuel phytoplankton growth—super important in these nutrient-poor waters.
Why does this matter?
Bigger phytoplankton blooms mean more food for krill, fish, penguins, seals, and even whales.
Plus, phytoplankton help pull carbon dioxide out of the air.
The study suggests we might need to rethink how we model ocean ecosystems, because seafloor processes such as seismic activity and hydrothermal venting may be underrepresented in models and can be an episodic driver of phytoplankton variability.