Examination of causative link between a spring bloom and dry/wet deposition of Asian dust in the Yellow Sea, China

Atmospheric deposition can deliver new nutrients to the surface water and support primary productivity. Here we report a phytoplankton bloom that developed in the Yellow Sea in the spring of 2007 3–4 days following a dust storm accompanied by precipitation. Our data indicate that atmospheric deposition dominated the supply of new nutrients to the surface water in the central Yellow Sea during the dust event. Dust‐derived nitrogen (N) supply was sufficient to support the observed phytoplankton growth, while, dust‐derived iron (Fe) supply far exceeded that required by the biota. Granger causality test results further supported that dust‐derived nutrients deposition was the cause for the observed bloom with a lag of 3–5 days. Our results contribute to the growing database linking phytoplankton blooms to atmospheric deposition derived fertilization effects. Both dry and wet deposition contributed nutrients to the surface ocean during this event; however, the nutrient loading from dry deposition alone was not sufficient to satisfy the demand of the phytoplankton in this bloom event. Key Points Dust deposition dominated the supply of new nutrients to the surface water Dust supply of Fe, N and P supported the initiation of the spring bloom Granger causality test results supported a causative link between dust and bloom