The importance of Antarctic krill in biogeochemical cycles

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, sti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature Communications
Main Authors: Cavan, EL, Belcher, A, Hill, SL, Kawaguchi, S, McCormack, S, Meyer, B, Nicol, S, Schmidt, K, Steinberg, Deborah K., Tarling, GA, Boyd, PW
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: W&M ScholarWorks 2019
Subjects:
Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles
Marine Biology
Oceanography
Antarctic
Southern Ocean
Antarc*
Antarctic Krill
Euphausia superba
Online Access:https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/1784
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/context/vimsarticles/article/2785/viewcontent/SteinbergNatureComm2019.pdf
Description
Summary: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.

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