Future Climate-driven Fires may Boost Ocean Productivity in the Iron-limited North Atlantic

This study explores how climate-driven changes in wildfire activity may reshape ocean productivity in iron (Fe)-limited regions. Using refined fire emission projections and Earth system models with atmospheric iron chemistry, we show that climate change could increase previously projected iron emissions from fires by up to 1.8 times at the end of the century. This would significantly enhance the deposition of soluble iron, a key micronutrient, potentially boosting ocean productivity due to iron deposition by up to 20% annually (40% in summer) in the North Atlantic Fe-limited region. While projected macronutrient declines may shrink Fe-limited areas, our findings suggest that increased fire-derived iron could offset productivity losses. These results highlight the complex, far-reaching biogeochemical links between terrestrial wildfires and marine ecosystems under future climate scenarios.

Reference: Bergas-Masso, E., Hamilton, D.S., Myriokefalitakis, S., et al. (2025). Future climate-driven fires may boost ocean productivity in the iron-limited North Atlantic. Nat. Clim. Chang., 15, 784–792. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02356-4