By: |Scientists have recently uncovered a surprising connection between deep-ocean earthquakes and biological activity on the ocean’s surface — especially in the vast, nutrient-limited waters of the Southern Ocean that surrounds Antarctica. The Hidden Link: Earthquakes and Ocean LifeIn the Southern Ocean, small plant-like organisms called phytoplankton form the base of the marine food web. When phytoplankton die or get eaten, some of this carbon sinks into the deep ocean, strengthening the biological carbon pump that helps regulate Earth’s climate. In years with intense undersea earthquakes, the Southern Ocean produced significantly larger phytoplankton blooms during the summer growth season. Although earthquakes remain rare and unpredictable, their sudden bursts of nutrient release can have outsize effects in regions like the Southern Ocean where iron limits biological productivity.