Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats
The carbon sequestration potential of open-ocean pelagic ecosystems is vastly under-reported compared to coastal vegetation 'blue carbon' systems. Here we show that just a single pelagic harvested species, Antarctic krill, sequesters a similar amount of carbon through its sinking faecal pe...
Published in: | Nature Communications |
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2024
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Online Access: | https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/c291d81f-86ef-4bc9-b07f-d63b1a524fba https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/374240232/s41467-024-52135-6.pdf |
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ftdtupubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/c291d81f-86ef-4bc9-b07f-d63b1a524fba 2024-09-30T14:26:46+00:00 Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats Cavan, E. L. Mackay, N. Hill, S. L. Atkinson, A. Belcher, A. Visser, A. 2024 application/pdf https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/c291d81f-86ef-4bc9-b07f-d63b1a524fba https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/374240232/s41467-024-52135-6.pdf eng eng https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/c291d81f-86ef-4bc9-b07f-d63b1a524fba info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Cavan , E L , Mackay , N , Hill , S L , Atkinson , A , Belcher , A & Visser , A 2024 , ' Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats ' , Nature Communications , vol. 15 , 7842 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action name=SDG 13 - Climate Action /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water article 2024 ftdtupubl https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 2024-09-17T00:33:28Z The carbon sequestration potential of open-ocean pelagic ecosystems is vastly under-reported compared to coastal vegetation 'blue carbon' systems. Here we show that just a single pelagic harvested species, Antarctic krill, sequesters a similar amount of carbon through its sinking faecal pellets as marshes, mangroves and seagrass. Due to their massive population biomass, fast-sinking faecal pellets and the modest depths that pellets need to reach to achieve sequestration (mean is 381 m), Antarctic krill faecal pellets sequester 20 MtC per productive season (spring to early Autumn). This is equates USD$ 4 - 46 billion depending on the price of carbon, with krill pellet carbon stored for at least 100 years and with some reaching as far as the North Pacific. Antarctic krill are being impacted by rapid polar climate change and an expanding fishery, thus krill populations and their habitat warrant protection to preserve this valuable carbon sink. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Technical University of Denmark: DTU Orbit Antarctic Pacific Nature Communications 15 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Technical University of Denmark: DTU Orbit |
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ftdtupubl |
language |
English |
topic |
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action name=SDG 13 - Climate Action /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water |
spellingShingle |
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action name=SDG 13 - Climate Action /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water Cavan, E. L. Mackay, N. Hill, S. L. Atkinson, A. Belcher, A. Visser, A. Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
topic_facet |
/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action name=SDG 13 - Climate Action /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water |
description |
The carbon sequestration potential of open-ocean pelagic ecosystems is vastly under-reported compared to coastal vegetation 'blue carbon' systems. Here we show that just a single pelagic harvested species, Antarctic krill, sequesters a similar amount of carbon through its sinking faecal pellets as marshes, mangroves and seagrass. Due to their massive population biomass, fast-sinking faecal pellets and the modest depths that pellets need to reach to achieve sequestration (mean is 381 m), Antarctic krill faecal pellets sequester 20 MtC per productive season (spring to early Autumn). This is equates USD$ 4 - 46 billion depending on the price of carbon, with krill pellet carbon stored for at least 100 years and with some reaching as far as the North Pacific. Antarctic krill are being impacted by rapid polar climate change and an expanding fishery, thus krill populations and their habitat warrant protection to preserve this valuable carbon sink. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cavan, E. L. Mackay, N. Hill, S. L. Atkinson, A. Belcher, A. Visser, A. |
author_facet |
Cavan, E. L. Mackay, N. Hill, S. L. Atkinson, A. Belcher, A. Visser, A. |
author_sort |
Cavan, E. L. |
title |
Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
title_short |
Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
title_full |
Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
title_fullStr |
Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
title_full_unstemmed |
Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
title_sort |
antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/c291d81f-86ef-4bc9-b07f-d63b1a524fba https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/374240232/s41467-024-52135-6.pdf |
geographic |
Antarctic Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Pacific |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill |
op_source |
Cavan , E L , Mackay , N , Hill , S L , Atkinson , A , Belcher , A & Visser , A 2024 , ' Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats ' , Nature Communications , vol. 15 , 7842 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 |
op_relation |
https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/c291d81f-86ef-4bc9-b07f-d63b1a524fba |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52135-6 |
container_title |
Nature Communications |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1811632878397685760 |