Possible impacts of volcanic ash emissions of Mount Etna on the primary productivity in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea: Results from nutrient-release experiments in seawater

• Published in: Marine chemistry 2013-05, Vol.152, p.32-42
• Main Authors: Olgun, Nazlı, Duggen, Svend, Andronico, Daniele, Kutterolf, Steffen, Croot, Peter Leslie, Giammanco, Salvatore, Censi, Paolo, Randazzo, Loredana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Geochemistry; Iron; Mediterranean Sea; Mineralogy; Mount Etna; Nitrate; Oceanic fertilization; Phosphate; Physical and chemical properties of sea water; Physics of the oceans; Silicates; Volcanic ash; Water geochemistry
• ISSN: 0304-4203; 1872-7581
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marchem.2013.04.004

Atmospheric deposition of volcanic ash has recently been recognized as an important nutrient source into the surface ocean. Mount Etna (Italy), one of the world's most active volcanoes, is located in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea (MedSea). Despite the active volcanism on Mount Etna, the biogeochemical impacts of volcanic ash fallouts on the marine primary productivity (MPP) remain largely unknown. Here we present the results of seawater nutrient release experiments with volcanic ash samples from Mount Etna that have been collected during different eruptive episodes between 2001 and 2007. Our results show that volcanic ash from Mount Etna releases significant amounts of fixed-N (35–855nmol/g), P (7–970nmol/g), Si (3–2060nmol/g), Fe (10–130nmol/g) and Zn (