Every winter, millions of tiny ocean creatures called zooplankton dive deep into the ocean, taking around 65 million tonnes of carbon with them each year.
The Role of Zooplankton in Carbon Sequestration: Carbon Pump
Zooplankton are tiny creatures that float in our oceans. They play a crucial role in the marine food web by serving as a link between primary producers, such as phytoplankton, and larger marine animals. These small organisms include various species, such as copepods, krill, and salps, which collectively contribute to an essential process known as the Biological Carbon Pump. This fascinating mechanism helps natural carbon sequestration in deeper waters, ultimately supporting our planet’s climate system.
The Biological Carbon Pump Explained
The Biological Carbon Pump is vital for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from our atmosphere. As zooplankton consume phytoplankton, they produce waste materials like fecal pellets that sink to deeper layers of the ocean. This passive process drives significant carbon export from surface waters to the depths below. Notably, research indicates that these organisms can also actively influence carbon sequestration through other mechanisms. For instance, their vertical migrations and consumption can help break down sinking particles into smaller fragments, adding even more efficiency to this critical process.
Zooplankton’s Unexpected Role
Each year, countless zooplankton descend to depths exceeding 500 meters to escape the harsh winter. During their deep hibernation, they release carbon through respiration and death. This effectively locks away approximately 65 million tonnes of carbon annually in the deep ocean, where it can remain stored for centuries. This is in addition to the carbon removed through the sinking of particulate organic carbon (POC).
A Century of Data
This discovery relies on a vast database of zooplankton data, meticulously collected over a century, from the 1920s to the present. Scientists analyzed thousands of samples to quantify the scale of this seasonal migration and its impact on natural carbon sequestration. Copepods, it turns out, are the major players, accounting for 80% of this carbon flux, with krill and salps contributing the remaining 14% and 6% respectively.
Active Processes of Carbon Sequestration
In addition to fecal pellets, zooplankton can impact how efficiently carbon is sequestered in oceans through their daily swimming patterns and feeding behaviors. By migrating vertically over time, they aid in transporting carbon-rich materials downwards into the ocean’s depths. According to recent studies, this combined action may rival passive sinking mechanisms regarding total carbon exported from surface levels.
The Lipid Pump and Seasonal Migration
A specific phenomenon known as the lipid pump has also emerged from studying zooplankton behavior. Species like copepods accumulate lipids over summer months by feeding extensively before migrating to deeper waters for winter survival. During this transition, they utilize stored lipids for energy or contribute them as prey for deeper-sea predators. The interactions of these elements provide not only energy but also a continuous injection of carbon into deep-sea environments.
The Southern Ocean: A Key Player
The Southern Ocean plays an important role in global climate regulation through its vast zooplankton populations. Despite its significance, much remains understudied when it comes to how seasonal migrations of these creatures influence overall carbon flow within this ecosystem. Enhanced understanding of these processes may lead to improvements in Earth System Models that forecast climate trends.
A Call for Research and Understanding
Scientists stress that we must protect both zooplankton and their habitats to help mitigate climate change effects. By managing threats like industrial fishing and warming temperatures, we can support these unsung heroes of our ocean ecosystems.
This new research emphasizes the need for further studies focused on the interconnected roles of various zooplankton species across different ecosystems. For instance, new insights into migration patterns could explore additional ways we monitor changes within marine environments affected by ongoing global change.
Reference
- Yang, G., Atkinson, A., Pakhomov, E. A., Schmidt, K., Wang, W., Freer, J. J., & Tarling, G. A. (2025). Seasonally migrating zooplankton strongly enhance Southern Ocean carbon sequestration. Limnology and Oceanography. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.70120
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Neha Adikane holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Pune University, bringing a unique blend of scientific expertise and creative writing skills to her craft. She specializes in creating engaging, insightful, and impactful content across various niches. With a passion for translating complex ideas into simple, relatable narratives, she excels at crafting blogs, articles, website content, and social media posts that captivate readers and drive engagement. Neha’s background in environmental science adds depth to her writing, allowing her to effectively cover topics related to sustainability, eco-awareness, and scientific innovations.
- Author
- Latest Posts
Neha Adikane holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Pune University, bringing a unique blend of scientific expertise and creative writing skills to her craft. She specializes in creating engaging, insightful, and impactful content across various niches. With a passion for translating complex ideas into simple, relatable narratives, she excels at crafting blogs, articles, website content, and social media posts that captivate readers and drive engagement. Neha’s background in environmental science adds depth to her writing, allowing her to effectively cover topics related to sustainability, eco-awareness, and scientific innovations.