Plenty of Reasons why we Need More Whales!

 

From Cook et al. 2020

2.2.2.1. Enhanced biodiversity and evolutionary potential

The ES (Eecosystem Services) of enhanced biodiversity and evolutionary potential, and enhanced primary production, are interrelated. Via the supporting ecosystem service of nutrient cycling, through abundant releases of iron from whale faeces and nitrogen from urine and faecal plumes, enhanced primary production occurs, including extended phytoplankton blooms (Lavery et al., 2010; Lundsten et al., 2010; Roman and McCarthy, 2010; Roman et al., 2014). In addition to ocean currents meeting and upwelling, the physical movement of animals in the water column, especially larger animals such as whales, contributes to the wider distribution of nutrients and oxygen in the water, leading to greater primary production (James et al., 2017). Areas rich in primary production also tend to be associated with an abundance of prey, and are thus often more biodiverse. In contrast, marine areas which have suffered losses of great whales have been associated with trophic cascades, leading to the associated stock decline of many other species, such as sea otters, kelp forests and birds of prey (Wilmers et al., 2012; Roman et al., 2014). In addition, the sunken carcasses of great whales, of whale falls, provide an important deep-sea habitat for more than 100 species that may be considered whale-fall specialists (Smith et al., 2019). The loss of these habitats as a result of commercial whaling is likely to have had a big impact on the diversity of whale-fall specialists in areas where whales have been hunted for centuries.

2.2.2.2. Climate regulation (carbon sequestration)

Over their lifetime, whales contribute to the removal of carbon from the atmosphere through the accumulation of large amounts of carbon in their bodies (Smith and Baco, 2003; Roman et al., 2014; James et al., 2017). After death, whales sink to the ocean floor. So-called ‘whale falls’ result in the locking in of organic carbon content on the sea floor. Smith and Baco (2003) reported that the carcass of a 40-tonne grey whale can contribute a level of organic carbon content equivalent to around 2000 years of the background flux. In addition, a study by Pershing et al. (2010) reported that restoring baleen whale stocks to pre-whaling levels would remove 1.6 × 105 tons of carbon each year through whale falls.

Oceans and Climate: we need more whales!

Judith Curry provides the link to a 10-year-old paper, still interesting for us

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2009GL041961

The idea is of activating the ocean metabolism by artificially upwelling nutrients from the deeper layers to the surface, which can be metabolized by photosynthetic organisms. It is similar to that of fertilizing the ocean by dumping iron oxide in the water.

The interesting thing is how sensitive is the Earth holobiont to this kind of manipulation. According to the article, artificial upwelling would "be able to sequester atmospheric CO2 at a rate of about 0.9 PgC/yr," which is about a tenth of the current carbon emissions. In itself, it would not change the trend, but it is still a lot, and if it were continued for decades it would make a difference considering the unavoidable decline of fossil fuel production generated by depletion.

But, of course, things like pipes and flap valves could hardly be deployed in the necessary amounts, considering that humans see it as much more important to use their remaining resources to make war on each other. Yet, it is impressive to think that what the pipes are supposed to do used to be done by whales before they were exterminated (https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1502549112). So, humans have already modified the Oceans' system in the opposite direction. 

Likely, more whales would cool the planet. And they would produce themselves if just left in peace, no need for huge pipes and pumps!

The Story of Moby Dick Told by the Whale

 

 

by Ugo Bardi

Whales are the largest holobiont of this planet. Here myself and my coworker, Ilaria Perissi, engage in a little theatrical piece where Moby Dick himself tells his story. How he met that weird two-tailed creature whose name he learned to be something like Heyhab. And how in a terrible battle, he was forced to kill this enemy, although not willing to do that. And how, wounded, he sunk to the bottom where he met the spirits of his ancestors who told him of the sad destiny of the two-tails, land creatures destined to perish because they couldn't limit their greed. 

The story is an spinoff of our book "The Empty Sea" published in 2020.