Is this the most valuable thing in the ocean? – David Biello

VIDEOSCRIPT:

In 1891, newspapers reported the story of James Bartley, a whaler who was swallowed whole by his prey. Supposedly, Bartley spent as long as 36 hours in the belly of the beast before his crew caught the whale and rescued their crewmate. And this tale is far from unique. Various novels, myths, and religious texts depict figures swallowed at sea—with some even making a home for themselves in the creatures’ cavernous mouths.

Unfortunately, if someone actually were swallowed by a whale, they would likely be crushed. But if they somehow survived, they might have a chance to escape during their captor’s bathroom break. Whales frequently surface to take in air and let out massive plumes of waste. And while swimming in this slurry might seem more disgusting than living in these creatures, whale poop is much more desirable than it may seem. In fact, it may be one of the most important substances in the ocean—and the world.

To understand why, we need to look at some of the ocean’s most ubiquitous organisms: phytoplankton. These creatures survive off sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients like phosphates, nitrogen, and iron. And since the ocean’s surface waters generally have an abundance of these resources, phytoplankton are everywhere. A single drop of seawater can contain thousands of these creatures, and phytoplankton blooms are large enough to be seen from space.

These phytoplankton then become food for countless microscopic grazers, including copepods and krill, which in turn feed a huge swath of marine life. In this way, these surface-dwellers are the base of a food chain supporting countless marine life forms. But when phytoplankton die, their bodies can sink far below the surface, taking with them the carbon and iron their living peers need to survive.

And this is where whales come in. Hunting at these depths, whales consume huge amounts of these phytoplankton predators. For example, species like the blue whale can consume up to 16 tons of krill every day, leading them to regularly surface and release a slick of feces red with iron. Through this cycle, whales act as a living pump to bring iron from deeper waters back to the surface.

However, if we take whales out of the equation—much as centuries of commercial whaling did—this natural system starts to break down. Over enough time, this broken cycle could lead to surface waters completely devoid of life and similarly major problems for us land dwellers. Phytoplankton’s massive photosynthetic blooms produce as much as half of Earth’s oxygen. And in addition to taking in iron, phytoplankton helps sequester huge amounts of carbon—an element we need to extract from the air to address climate change.

According to one report, phytoplankton are estimated to capture four times the amount of carbon contained in the plant life of the Amazon. From these calculations, every 1% increase in phytoplankton population is the carbon capture equivalent of 2 billion fully grown trees springing into existence. While there’s still debate about exactly how much of this carbon stays in the ocean long term, researchers are working to increase phytoplankton populations and bury as much carbon as possible.

Some groups are doing this simply by sprinkling iron in the ocean. However, this approach is much less impactful than supporting the ocean’s natural phytoplankton farmers. Whale poop’s complex matrix of nutrients is the result of millennia of co-evolution among these creatures, making it vastly superior to cheap, man-made supplements.

Right now, whale populations are still recovering from industrial whaling. But if we can help these species rebound through whaling moratoriums, safer fishing and shipping practices, and cleaning up pollution, it would do wonders for restoring this nutrient cycle. And even when these newly protected whales die natural deaths, they’ll still be fighting climate change.

Not only can a whale’s body sequester up to 33 tons of carbon at the bottom of the ocean, but their remains can also become an entire ecosystem—continuing to support life both above and below the surface.

VOCABULARY:

• whaler /ˈweɪlər/ – A person who hunts whales. SYN: whale hunter, fisherman.
• supposedly /səˈpoʊzɪdli/ – According to what is generally assumed or believed, though not confirmed. SYN: allegedly, reportedly.
• crew /kruː/ – A group of people who work together, especially on a ship. SYN: team, staff.
• far from /fɑːr frəm/ – Not at all; the opposite of what is expected. SYN: not at all, nowhere near.
• rescue /ˈrɛskjuː/ – To save someone from a dangerous or difficult situation. SYN: save, recover.
• depict /dɪˈpɪkt/ – To show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form. SYN: portray, illustrate.
• cavernous /ˈkævərnəs/ – Like a cavern in size, shape, or atmosphere; large and hollow. SYN: vast, gaping.
• plumes of waste /pluːmz əv weɪst/ – Large, cloud-like formations of expelled waste. SYN: clouds of waste, streams of waste.
• slurry /ˈslɜːri/ – A semi-liquid mixture, typically of water and another substance. SYN: sludge, mixture.
• disgust /dɪsˈɡʌst/ – A strong feeling of dislike or disapproval. SYN: revulsion, aversion.
• poop /puːp/ – Informal term for feces or waste. SYN: feces, dung.
• ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/ – Present or found everywhere. SYN: widespread, omnipresent.
• phosphates /ˈfɒsfeɪts/ – Chemical compounds containing phosphorus, used as nutrients. SYN: nutrients, compounds.
• nitrogen /ˈnaɪtrədʒən/ – A chemical element found in the air, essential for plant growth. 
• iron /ˈaɪərn/ – A metallic element, often used as a nutrient. 
• countless /ˈkaʊntlɪs/ – Too many to be counted; numerous. SYN: innumerable, infinite.
• microscopic grazers /ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑːpɪk ˈɡreɪzərz/ – Tiny organisms that feed on other small organisms. SYN: tiny feeders, micro feeders.
• copepods and krill /ˈkoʊpɪˌpɑdz ənd krɪl/ – Small marine animals that are part of the ocean’s food chain. SYN: marine creatures, tiny crustaceans.
• a swath of /swɑːθ əv/ – A large area or range. SYN: range of, extent of.
• dwellers /ˈdwɛlərz/ – Inhabitants or residents of a place. SYN: inhabitants, residents.
• predator /ˈprɛdətər/ – An animal that hunts other animals for food. SYN: hunter, carnivore.
• a slick of /slɪk əv/ – A thin, smooth layer of a substance on a surface. SYN: layer of, coat of.
• equation /ɪˈkweɪʒən/ – A situation where different elements are considered equal or balanced. SYN: balance, formula.
• devoid of life /dɪˈvɔɪd əv laɪf/ – Lacking any form of life. SYN: lifeless, barren.
• photosynthetic /ˌfoʊtoʊsɪnˈθɛtɪk/ – Related to the process by which plants make energy from sunlight. SYN: N/A (biological process).
• sequester /sɪˈkwɛstər/ – To isolate or take in a substance. SYN: capture, absorb.
• extract /ɪkˈstrækt/ – To remove or take out something. SYN: remove, withdraw.
• address climate change /əˈdrɛs ˈklaɪmət tʃeɪndʒ/ – To take action or make plans to mitigate climate change. SYN: tackle climate change, combat global warming.
• calculations /ˌkælkjʊˈleɪʃənz/ – Mathematical determinations or estimations. SYN: estimations, computations.
• spring into /sprɪŋ ˈɪntuː/ – To come into existence or to start quickly. SYN: emerge, appear.
• phytoplankton /ˌfaɪtoʊˈplæŋktən/ – Tiny plants and organisms in the ocean that produce oxygen. SYN: microscopic plants, oceanic algae.
• sprinkle /ˈsprɪŋkəl/ – To scatter or pour small drops of a substance. SYN: scatter, spread.
• millennia /mɪˈlɛniə/ – Periods of a thousand years. SYN: ages, eons.
• rebound /ˈriːbaʊnd/ – To recover or bounce back. SYN: recover, return.
• moratorium /ˌmɔrəˈtɔːriəm/ – A temporary prohibition or suspension of an activity. SYN: ban, suspension.
• sequester up /sɪˈkwɛstər ʌp/ – To absorb or capture and store a substance. SYN: capture, lock away.
• at the bottom of the ocean /æt ðə ˈbɒtəm əv ði ˈoʊʃən/ – Deep under the ocean surface. SYN: ocean floor, seabed.

•  Whales are known for their ability to swallow and eat, a phenomenon depicted in various myths and literature.
• Whales often surface to take in air and release waste, which can be a valuable resource for marine life.
• Phytoplankton, ocean’s most ubiquitous organisms, survive on sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients like phosphates, nitrogen, and iron.
• When phytoplankton die, they sink below the surface, releasing carbon and iron that their living counterparts need to survive.
• Whales, hunting at these depths, consume large amounts of these phytoplankton predators, acting as a living pump to bring iron from deeper waters back to the surface.
• However, the natural system of phytoplankton’s survival could be disrupted if whales are removed, leading to surface waters devoid of life and major problems for land dwellers.
• Phytoplankton’s photosynthetic blooms produce as much as half of Earth’s oxygen and help sequester large amounts of carbon, which is essential for addressing climate change.
• Researchers are working to increase phytoplankton populations and bury as much carbon as possible, with some groups sprinkling iron in the ocean.
• Whale poop’s complex matrix of nutrients is superior to cheap, man-made supplements.
• Whale populations are still recovering from industrial whaling, but recovery through whaling moratoriums, safer fishing and shipping practices, and pollution cleanup could restore the nutrient cycle.
• Even when whales die natural deaths, they will continue to fight climate change, supporting life both above and below the surface.