A recent study has unveiled the significant role of Antarctic krill in carbon storage, revealing that these small crustaceans can sequester at least 20 million metric tons of carbon in the deep ocean annually. This remarkable ability stems from their fecal pellets, which are larger than those of other plankton and sink to the ocean floor, effectively locking away carbon for over a century.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the study emphasizes that the carbon sequestration potential of open-ocean ecosystems is vastly underreported. The authors advocate for enhanced environmental protections for krill, which face threats from climate change and rising ocean temperatures that hinder their larvae's hatching and overall population sustainability.
Moreover, krill are increasingly ingesting microplastics, traced back to the fast-fashion industry, further endangering their health. The study's lead author, marine biogeochemist Emma L. Cavan of Imperial College London, hopes that these findings will influence fishing regulations to reduce krill fishing and encourage public awareness of krill-based product consumption.