Article Dans Une Revue Nature Communications Année : 2023

Composition of cetacean communities worldwide shapes their contribution to ocean nutrient cycling

Résumé

Defecation by large whales is known to fertilise oceans with nutrients, stimulating phytoplankton and ecosystem productivity. However, our current understanding of these processes is limited to a few species, nutrients and ecosystems. Here, we investigate the role of cetacean communities in the worldwide biological cycling of two major nutrients and six trace nutrients. We show that cetaceans release more nutrients in mesotrophic to eutrophic temperate waters than in oligotrophic tropical waters, mirroring patterns of ecosystem productivity. The released nutrient cocktails also vary geographically, driven by the composition of cetacean communities. The roles of small cetaceans, deep diving cetaceans and baleen whales differ quantitatively and functionally, with contributions of small cetaceans and deep divers exceeding those of large whales in some areas. The functional diversity of cetacean communities expands beyond their role as top predators to include their role as active nutrient vectors, which might be equally important to local ecosystem dynamics.

Fichier principal
Vignette du fichier
GNC14_2023.pdf (1.89 Mo) Télécharger le fichier
Origine Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte
Licence
DOI

Cite 10.1594/PANGAEA.937345 Article Chouvelon, T., Munschy, C., Bruzac, S., Caurant, F., Churlaud, C., Crochet, S., Guillou, G., Mauffret, A., Méndez-Fernandez, P., Niol, J., Sireau, T., Steinberg, C., Wessel, N., & Spitz, J. (2021). Stable isotopes, energy density and elemental composition of deep pelagic crustaceans and fish sampled in October 2017 in the Bay of Biscay, North-East Atlantic. PANGAEA. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937345

input data
DOI

Cite 10.1594/PANGAEA.940861 Jeu de données Chouvelon, T., Gilbert, L., Caurant, F., Méndez-Fernandez, P., Bustamante, P., Brault-Favrou, M., & Spitz, J. (2022). Essential element (micro-nutrient) concentrations in 78 coastal to oceanic forage species sampled in the Bay of Biscay, Northeast Atlantic, between 2002 and 2008 [Dataset]. PANGAEA. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.940861

input data
HAL

Cite hal-05119411 Logiciel Lola Gilbert. R project code - Cetacean.excretion.global. 2023, ⟨swh:1:dir:2d15a5610b51d4e2922682e37140271ef45f1065;origin=https://github.com/Lola-san/Cetacean.excretion.global;visit=swh:1:snp:d7ce27940e3827fc5d6d11dfd0b6c7093bc7ab05;anchor=swh:1:rev:060789ffaa226fdd40007fb918e5d3fe5cbaa1f9⟩. ⟨hal-05119411⟩

Code used for the analysis

Dates et versions

hal-04222776 , version 1 (29-09-2023)

Licence

Identifiants

Citer

Lola Gilbert, Tiphaine Jeanniard-Du-Dot, Matthieu Authier, Tiphaine Chouvelon, Jérôme Spitz. Composition of cetacean communities worldwide shapes their contribution to ocean nutrient cycling. Nature Communications, 2023, 14, pp.5823. ⟨10.1038/s41467-023-41532-y⟩. ⟨hal-04222776⟩
200 Consultations
638 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

  • More