Unfortunately, there's no direct evidence that Mt. Pinatubo had any effect on phytoplankton biomass, and certainly no published science on the link. There's a lot of speculation and process-of-elimination reasoning that I don't find very compelling.
The fisheries ecologists I've talked to say the impact of fertilization aimed at phytoplankton on fisheries is uncertain, mediated through several trophic links, and likely to be difficult to detect.
There's a lot of hype in this space. I try to steer clear of it.
When I first started researching this topic the science did not even account for the bioavailability of iron in living biomass in the ocean only external inputs and losses not recyclability, much research still needs to be done but eddy deep deposition is definitely up there in my mind.
We already know a likely good way to do this and to cool the planet quickly and safely, see my HPAC Sep 2025 presentation here https://healthyplanetaction.org/guest-speakers/
this is a good summary of the 1992 Pinatubo eruption and eddy draw down which flat lined co2 atmospheric release for that year
https://climaterestoration.substack.com/p/localized-ocean-fertilization-is
I co wrote an article about bioavailable iron we remove in our fishing operations and talked about the feed back loops this has with climate.
https://substack.com/@tcrethers/p-176041032
I also believe it is the best chance we have to quickly and safely moderate temperature, many thanks
Unfortunately, there's no direct evidence that Mt. Pinatubo had any effect on phytoplankton biomass, and certainly no published science on the link. There's a lot of speculation and process-of-elimination reasoning that I don't find very compelling.
The fisheries ecologists I've talked to say the impact of fertilization aimed at phytoplankton on fisheries is uncertain, mediated through several trophic links, and likely to be difficult to detect.
There's a lot of hype in this space. I try to steer clear of it.
When I first started researching this topic the science did not even account for the bioavailability of iron in living biomass in the ocean only external inputs and losses not recyclability, much research still needs to be done but eddy deep deposition is definitely up there in my mind.