At a Glance
- In May 2018, Kīlauea erupted, releasing volcanic ash into the atmosphere. The ash traveled westward and contributed to a large phytoplankton bloom in the nutrient-poor North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.
- Satellite data revealed the phytoplankton bloom, which grew rapidly over an area five times the size of Taiwan. The ash’s nutrient content, particularly iron, stimulated the growth of marine microorganisms.
- The phytoplankton’s growth increased carbon production by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their eventual death and sinking to the ocean floor helped remove carbon from the atmosphere.
- The Kīlauea eruption significantly boosted carbon sequestration, potentially removing half of the carbon dioxide the volcano released. This highlights how volcanic ash can impact marine ecosystems and contribute to carbon cycling.
- Published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, the study suggests that volcanic ash stimulates marine life in nutrient-poor areas and plans future research to better understand how eruptions affect ocean life and the global carbon cycle.
In May 2018, Kīlauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, erupted and released massive amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere. The ash, carried by winds, traveled westward and reached the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG), a nutrient-poor ocean area. This was followed by an unusual event: a large phytoplankton bloom formed over the region, visible from space. The bloom grew rapidly, covering an area approximately 5 times the size of Taiwan and increasing carbon production.
Satellite data made the discovery of this massive phytoplankton bloom, which occurred due to Kīlauea’s ash deposition, possible. Researchers tracked the ash’s journey across the Pacific and noticed how the ash, rich in nutrients like iron, stimulated the growth of marine microorganisms. These nitrogen-fixing microbes were able to grow in the nutrient-depleted waters of the NPSG, demonstrating a unique interaction between volcanic ash and ocean ecosystems.
Phytoplankton play a crucial role in the carbon cycle. As these organisms grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When they die, they sink to the ocean floor, taking that carbon with them and helping to remove it from the atmosphere. The Kīlauea eruption led to a large increase in carbon sequestration, potentially removing half of the carbon dioxide the volcano released during its eruption.
This study, whose results were published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, highlights the impact volcanic eruptions can have on the ocean’s ecosystem, and it suggests that volcanic ash could play a significant role in stimulating marine life, especially in areas where nutrients are typically scarce. The researchers plan to continue studying the effects of future volcanic eruptions on ocean life, hoping to track and understand these events in real-time. This research could also help refine our understanding of how natural processes contribute to the global carbon cycle.
References
- Grabowski, M. & University of Hawaii at Manoa. (2025, April 9). Kīlauea volcano’s ash prompted largest open ocean phytoplankton bloom, study reveals. Phys.Org; University of Hawaii at Manoa. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-klauea-volcano-ash-prompted-largest.html
- Chow, C. H., Cheah, W., Letelier, R. M., Karl, D. M., & Tai, J. ‐H. (2025). Kı̄lauea volcanic ash induced a massive phytoplankton bloom in the nutrient‐poor north pacific subtropical gyre. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 130(3), e2023JC020676. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JC020676
