A scientist's fascination with whale feces has opened new avenues for understanding marine mammals and ocean ecosystems.
Thirty years ago, during a research program in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, the researcher encountered a male whale that released a massive amount of feces before diving. This moment sparked a long-term study on whale excrement, revealing insights from Iceland to Mexico, Alaska to Hawaii.
Whale feces can provide critical information about their diet, hormones, reproductive health, stress levels, gut microbiome, and even genetic lineage. Additionally, it helps assess mercury levels and ocean pollution.
Interestingly, whale droppings can vary in color, appearing neon green or bright red.
Two years after that initial encounter, the researcher learned about the biological pump, a crucial ocean process for carbon sequestration. Phytoplankton, the base of the marine food web, absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and transfer it through the food chain. As these organisms die, they release carbon back into the ocean.
Whales, which feed at great depths, bring essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron back to the surface through their waste. This nutrient cycling supports phytoplankton growth and enhances fish populations, countering arguments for whaling based on competition for fish with whales.
The concept of a 'whale pump' illustrates that the presence of whales in the ocean could actually boost fish populations, highlighting their ecological importance.