Krill love to stick together in swarms. In a new book, Ashley Ward writes about how these massive social bubbles keep ocean life afloat.
by Ashley Ward. Copyright © 2022. Available from Basic Books, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Krill are a “keystone species” in the Southern Ocean. This ecological term derives from the crucial role of the keystone at the apex of a stone arch. Take the keystone out, and the arch collapses. So it is for krill in relation to the animals with whom they share their habitat. From fish to squid, from penguins to albatross, and from seals to the great whales, krill are at the top of the menu. Many of these predators have diets that are more than 90 percent krill at certain times of the year.
For now, they are thriving. Drawn together into great aggregations, Antarctic krill can be seen from space when they gather together. A single superswarm might cover more than 100 square miles of ocean, staining vast swaths of the surface waters orangey pink as they cluster in their trillions. Congregating provides krill with some protection from predators and may even help keep them afloat. Since they are heavier than the surrounding water, they start to sink the moment they stop swimming.
But while krill are first-class escapologists, it is their swarming that encourages the whales to focus their attention on them. So why do they collect in such vast numbers? The answer is that the krill are pursued by many different predators and swarming provides an excellent defense against most of them. Any predator that relies—as most do—on picking out their victims one by one faces a kind of sensory overload when confronted by myriad swirling krill.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Shock! Awe! Americans Willing To Pay Higher Gas Prices To Defeat PutinA Reuters poll says Americans strongly favor banning oil imports from Russia even if that means higher gas prices.
Lire la suite »
Column: MLB playing dangerous game by canceling gamesPadres may have positioned themselves better than most teams to thrive after lockout, whenever it ends
Lire la suite »
These ‘small things,’ done often, can help your relationship thriveThese ‘small things,’ done often, can help your relationship thrive
Lire la suite »
Denver Zoo stretches trunks and more with “Elephant Yoga” programEver seen 11,000 pound animals do downward dog? 🐘
Lire la suite »
How to Find the Hidden Files on Your Phone or ComputerThere are some you shouldn’t mess with, but others are good to know about. (From 2021)
Lire la suite »
Joe Hadley Exits CAA, Joins Spotify as Global Head of Artist and Audience PartnershipsHis clients at the agency included Beyonce, A$AP Rocky, Zayn, Anuel AA and others.
Lire la suite »