Would OIF Cause Permanent Changes To The Species Of Phytoplankton In The Ocean?
Natural blooms result in temporary changes to the overall species composition compared to non-bloom conditions [Hoffman et al., 2006; Barber and Hiscook, 2006]. After the bloom, the species mix returns to pre-bloom conditions [Barber and Hiscook, 2006]. There is no evidence that individual fertilized blooms have caused permanent changes to species composition. Given the large variability of natural iron delivery over both annual and geologic time scales, and the lack of permanent changes associated with these changes in flux, it is also unlikely that larger scale OIF would cause permanent changes.
