粉尘也能“施肥”？科研人员揭秘其对气候影响之谜

Core Insights - Dust is identified as a significant factor influencing global climate change and carbon cycling, acting as an "invisible driver" that transports essential nutrients to oceans, thereby affecting marine ecosystems and carbon sequestration [1][2] Group 1: Research Findings - A collaborative study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and international teams reveals that dust deposition in major ocean basins has increased significantly since the Cenozoic era, correlating with the expansion of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and aridification in regions like Asia, North America, and Africa [1] - The study indicates that over 4 billion tons of dust are released from land annually, with dust from arid and semi-arid regions carrying iron and phosphorus, which are critical nutrients for marine life [1] Group 2: Nutrient Effects - The research highlights that dust from different sources has varying fertilization effects, with Asian glacial dust being more effective in enhancing productivity in the North Pacific compared to highly weathered dust from North Africa [2] - Since the Middle Pleistocene, increased input of Asian dust into the North Pacific has led to significant changes in phytoplankton community structure and productivity [2] Group 3: Future Research Directions - The study emphasizes the need for future research to focus on analyzing nutrient components from major global dust source regions and establishing quantitative links between dust input and ocean carbon sinks [2] - It suggests integrating these findings into Earth system models to improve predictions of global climate change [2]