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Whales feed at deeper levels where krill is found, and their fecal matter, rich in iron, rises to the surface. This action enhances phytoplankton productivity and supports fish populations. Whales, along with krill, form a positive feedback loop, where their populations contribute to the recycling of iron, further boosting phytoplankton growth.
Plankton can be divided into producers and consumers. The producers are the phytoplankton (Greek phyton = plant) and the consumers, who eat the phytoplankton, are the zooplankton (Greek zoon = animal). Jellyfish are slow swimmers, and most species form part of the plankton. Traditionally, jellyfish have been viewed as trophic dead ends.
A planktivore is an aquatic organism that feeds on planktonic food, including zooplankton and phytoplankton. [1] [2] Planktivorous organisms encompass a range of some of the planet's smallest to largest multicellular animals in both the present day and in the past billion years; basking sharks and copepods are just two examples of giant and microscopic organisms that feed upon plankton.
Some of the largest plankton are krill and feed the largest of animals, baleen whales. My first foray into the scientific world was a job sexing Jassa falcata (a tiny amphipod) under a microscope.
The large whales return from their southern winter habitat to feed on tiny prey — calanus, pseudocalanus, and centropages — crustaceans known as copepods, a species of zooplankton. Plankton ...
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 24 November 2024. Organisms living in water or air that are drifters on the current or wind This article is about the marine organisms. For other uses, see Plankton (disambiguation). Marine microplankton and mesoplankton Part of the contents of one dip of a hand net. The image contains diverse planktonic ...
This means that there is a significant difference between the mercury levels in toothed whales and baleen whales. The former have a much higher concentration as they feed from large fishes and mammals, while the latter feed from plankton .
Skim-feeders, like bowhead whales, feed upon primarily smaller plankton such as copepods. [90] They feed alone or in small groups. [91] Baleen whales get the water they need from their food, and their kidneys excrete excess salt. [70] The lunge-feeders are the rorquals.