Carrapa et al. (2026): Andean volcanism, ocean fertilization, marine ecosystem turnover, and global cooling in the Late Miocene
Barbara Carrapa, Mark T. Clementz, Nicolás J. Cosentino, Pedro DiNezio, Pam Vervoort, Kaustubh Thirumalai, Jordan T. Abell, Dominik Hülse, Priscilla R. Martinez & Carolina S. Gutstein, IN: Communications Earth & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03457-4
As the world’s longest active volcanic arc, the Andes deliver nutrient-rich volcanic ash directly to the ocean via atmospheric transport. This ash supplies key limiting nutrients to the Humboldt Current and the Southern Ocean, both critical for biological productivity, nutrient cycling, and atmospheric carbon dioxide drawdown. During the Late Miocene, massive explosive eruptions generated large ash fluxes that were deposited in the surrounding oceans. However, the biogeochemical and climatic consequences of this process remain unresolved. Here, the authors present a new compilation of paleontological and geochemical data combined with global ash dispersion modeling and Earth system simulations, to quantify the impact of Andean volcanism on seasonal to millennial time scales ocean productivity and carbon cycling, with potential impact on longer time scales.