Iron limitation of phytoplankton photosynthesis in the equatorial Pacific Ocean

Evaluation of the variations in the photochemical energy conversion efficiency of natural phytoplanktons prior and subsequent to artificial fertilization of an area with high nitrate and low chlorophyll in the equatorial Pacific Ocean with iron using a fast repetition rate fluorometer reveals that physiological proliferation of phytoplanktons is restricted by iron. Inhibition diminishes the potential of phytoplankton to photochemically convert light to stored chemical energy, preventing phytoplanktons from entirely consuming the available nutrients in the water.