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The importance of Antarctic krill in biogeochemical cycles

Author

Listed:
  • E. L. Cavan

    (University of Tasmania
    Imperial College London)

  • A. Belcher

    (Natural Environment Research Council)

  • A. Atkinson

    (Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe)

  • S. L. Hill

    (Natural Environment Research Council)

  • S. Kawaguchi

    (Australian Antarctic Division)

  • S. McCormack

    (University of Tasmania
    University of Tasmania)

  • B. Meyer

    (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
    University of Oldenburg
    Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg)

  • S. Nicol

    (University of Tasmania)

  • L. Ratnarajah

    (University of Liverpool)

  • K. Schmidt

    (University of Plymouth)

  • D. K. Steinberg

    (College of William & Mary)

  • G. A. Tarling

    (Natural Environment Research Council)

  • P. W. Boyd

    (University of Tasmania
    University of Tasmania)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • E. L. Cavan & A. Belcher & A. Atkinson & S. L. Hill & S. Kawaguchi & S. McCormack & B. Meyer & S. Nicol & L. Ratnarajah & K. Schmidt & D. K. Steinberg & G. A. Tarling & P. W. Boyd, 2019. "The importance of Antarctic krill in biogeochemical cycles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12668-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12668-7
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    Cited by:

    1. E. L. Cavan & N. Mackay & S. L. Hill & A. Atkinson & A. Belcher & A. Visser, 2024. "Antarctic krill sequester similar amounts of carbon to key coastal blue carbon habitats," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Nora-Charlotte Pauli & Clara M. Flintrop & Christian Konrad & Evgeny A. Pakhomov & Steffen Swoboda & Florian Koch & Xin-Liang Wang & Ji-Chang Zhang & Andrew S. Brierley & Matteo Bernasconi & Bettina M, 2021. "Krill and salp faecal pellets contribute equally to the carbon flux at the Antarctic Peninsula," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Lavenia Ratnarajah & Rana Abu-Alhaija & Angus Atkinson & Sonia Batten & Nicholas J. Bax & Kim S. Bernard & Gabrielle Canonico & Astrid Cornils & Jason D. Everett & Maria Grigoratou & Nurul Huda Ahmad , 2023. "Monitoring and modelling marine zooplankton in a changing climate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Matthew S. Savoca & Mehr Kumar & Zephyr Sylvester & Max F. Czapanskiy & Bettina Meyer & Jeremy A. Goldbogen & Cassandra M. Brooks, 2024. "Whale recovery and the emerging human-wildlife conflict over Antarctic krill," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Jeroen Ingels & Richard B. Aronson & Craig R. Smith & Amy Baco & Holly M. Bik & James A. Blake & Angelika Brandt & Mattias Cape & David Demaster & Emily Dolan & Eugene Domack & Spencer Fire & Heidi Ge, 2021. "Antarctic ecosystem responses following ice‐shelf collapse and iceberg calving: Science review and future research," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), January.

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