Krill Paradox: Whales and Decline

The Krill Paradox refers to the puzzling drop in krill populations even after commercial whaling drastically reduced the population of their main predator. The decline occurs because whale feces act as a powerful fertilizer for plankton-the primary food source for krill. Rich in nutrients, whale dung contains iron concentrations up to 10 million times higher than seawater, boosting plankton blooms that sustain krill.

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