Whales Drive Ocean Nutrient Cycles Through Migration and Waste

New research highlights how migrating whales transport essential nutrients across vast ocean distances, boosting marine ecosystems.

Migrating baleen whales transport thousands of tons of nitrogen and biomass annually from cold feeding grounds to nutrient-poor tropical breeding areas.
This nutrient movement, dubbed the 'great whale conveyor belt,' supports phytoplankton growth, which sustains marine food webs including fish and sharks.
Whales contribute nutrients through urine, placentas, sloughed skin, and carcasses, with nitrogen-rich urea playing a key role in boosting ecosystem productivity.
Before industrial whaling, nutrient transport by whales was three times higher; conservation efforts aim to restore their ecological impact but face challenges from climate change and human activities.
The research underscores whales' unique role in global nutrient redistribution, likening them to a planetary circulatory system vital for ocean health.