The importance of Antarctic krill in biogeochemical cycles.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31628346.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-019-12668-7 and PMC identifier 6800442.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) are swarming, oceanic crustaceans, up to two inches long, and best known as prey for whales and penguins - but they have another important role. With their large size, high biomass and daily vertical migrations they transport and transform essential nutrients, stimulate primary productivity and influence the carbon sink. Antarctic krill are also fished by the Southern Ocean's largest fishery. Yet how krill fishing impacts nutrient fertilisation and the carbon sink in the Southern Ocean is poorly understood. Our synthesis shows fishery management should consider the influential biogeochemical role of both adult and larval Antarctic krill.
Medical subject headings
- Biomass
- Euphausiacea
- Food Chain
- Spheniscidae
- Whales