IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-41532-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Lola Gilbert

    (UMR 7372 La Rochelle University - CNRS
    UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS)

  • Tiphaine Jeanniard-du-Dot

    (UMR 7372 La Rochelle University - CNRS)

  • Matthieu Authier

    (UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS)

  • Tiphaine Chouvelon

    (UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS
    Ifremer, Chemical Contamination of Marine Ecosystems Unit)

  • Jérôme Spitz

    (UMR 7372 La Rochelle University - CNRS
    UAR 3462 La Rochelle University - CNRS)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Lola Gilbert & Tiphaine Jeanniard-du-Dot & Matthieu Authier & Tiphaine Chouvelon & Jérôme Spitz, 2023. "Composition of cetacean communities worldwide shapes their contribution to ocean nutrient cycling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41532-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41532-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41532-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-41532-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brian J. Enquist & Andrew J. Abraham & Michael B. J. Harfoot & Yadvinder Malhi & Christopher E. Doughty, 2020. "The megabiota are disproportionately important for biosphere functioning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Güssow, Kerstin & Proelss, Alexander & Oschlies, Andreas & Rehdanz, Katrin & Rickels, Wilfried, 2010. "Ocean iron fertilization: Why further research is needed," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 911-918, September.
    3. Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson & Ken O. Buesseler, 1999. "Variability of inorganic and organic phosphorus turnover rates in the coastal ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 398(6727), pages 502-505, April.
    4. Cariboni, J. & Gatelli, D. & Liska, R. & Saltelli, A., 2007. "The role of sensitivity analysis in ecological modelling," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 203(1), pages 167-182.
    5. Graham Peers & Neil M. Price, 2006. "Copper-containing plastocyanin used for electron transport by an oceanic diatom," Nature, Nature, vol. 441(7091), pages 341-344, May.
    6. Matthew S. Savoca & Max F. Czapanskiy & Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport & William T. Gough & James A. Fahlbusch & K. C. Bierlich & Paolo S. Segre & Jacopo Clemente & Gwenith S. Penry & David N. Wiley & John , 2021. "Baleen whale prey consumption based on high-resolution foraging measurements," Nature, Nature, vol. 599(7883), pages 85-90, November.
    7. Ratnarajah, Lavenia & Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica & Marzloff, Martin P. & Lannuzel, Delphine & Meiners, Klaus M. & Chever, Fanny & Nicol, Stephen & Bowie, Andrew R., 2016. "A preliminary model of iron fertilisation by baleen whales and Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean: Sensitivity of primary productivity estimates to parameter uncertainty," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 320(C), pages 203-212.
    8. Victor Smetacek, 2021. "A whale of an appetite revealed by analysis of prey consumption," Nature, Nature, vol. 599(7883), pages 33-34, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Oleg Belyaev & Erica Sparaventi & Gabriel Navarro & Araceli Rodríguez-Romero & Antonio Tovar-Sánchez, 2023. "The contribution of penguin guano to the Southern Ocean iron pool," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Francisco A. Buendia-Hernandez & Maria J. Ortiz Bevia & Francisco J. Alvarez-Garcia & Antonio Ruizde Elvira, 2022. "Sensitivity of a Dynamic Model of Air Traffic Emissions to Technological and Environmental Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Imron, Muhammad Ali & Gergs, Andre & Berger, Uta, 2012. "Structure and sensitivity analysis of individual-based predator–prey models," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 71-81.
    4. Wen-Yong Guo & Josep M. Serra-Diaz & Wolf L. Eiserhardt & Brian S. Maitner & Cory Merow & Cyrille Violle & Matthew J. Pound & Miao Sun & Ferry Slik & Anne Blach-Overgaard & Brian J. Enquist & Jens-Chr, 2023. "Climate change and land use threaten global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Pelletier, Dominique & Mahevas, Stéphanie & Drouineau, Hilaire & Vermard, Youen & Thebaud, Olivier & Guyader, Olivier & Poussin, Benjamin, 2009. "Evaluation of the bioeconomic sustainability of multi-species multi-fleet fisheries under a wide range of policy options using ISIS-Fish," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(7), pages 1013-1033.
    6. Frank H. Koch & Denys Yemshanov & Daniel W. McKenney & William D. Smith, 2009. "Evaluating Critical Uncertainty Thresholds in a Spatial Model of Forest Pest Invasion Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(9), pages 1227-1241, September.
    7. Lorscheid, Iris & Meyer, Matthias, 2016. "Divide and conquer: Configuring submodels for valid and efficient analyses of complex simulation models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 326(C), pages 152-161.
    8. Kanapaux, William & Kiker, Gregory A., 2013. "Development and testing of an object-oriented model for adaptively managing human disturbance of least tern (Sternula antillarum) nesting habitat," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 268(C), pages 64-77.
    9. Chu-Agor, M.L. & Muñoz-Carpena, R. & Kiker, G.A. & Aiello-Lammens, M.E. & Akçakaya, H.R. & Convertino, M. & Linkov, I., 2012. "Simulating the fate of Florida Snowy Plovers with sea-level rise: Exploring research and management priorities with a global uncertainty and sensitivity analysis perspective," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 224(1), pages 33-47.
    10. Petropoulos, G. & Wooster, M.J. & Carlson, T.N. & Kennedy, M.C. & Scholze, M., 2009. "A global Bayesian sensitivity analysis of the 1d SimSphere soil–vegetation–atmospheric transfer (SVAT) model using Gaussian model emulation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(19), pages 2427-2440.
    11. Gregory Hill & Steven Kolmes & Michael Humphreys & Rebecca McLain & Eric T. Jones, 2019. "Using decision support tools in multistakeholder environmental planning: restorative justice and subbasin planning in the Columbia River Basin," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 9(2), pages 170-186, June.
    12. Wernsdörfer, H. & Rossi, V. & Cornu, G. & Oddou-Muratorio, S. & Gourlet-Fleury, S., 2008. "Impact of uncertainty in tree mortality on the predictions of a tropical forest dynamics model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 218(3), pages 290-306.
    13. Rougier, Thibaud & Drouineau, Hilaire & Dumoulin, Nicolas & Faure, Thierry & Deffuant, Guillaume & Rochard, Eric & Lambert, Patrick, 2014. "The GR3D model, a tool to explore the Global Repositioning Dynamics of Diadromous fish Distribution," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 283(C), pages 31-44.
    14. Wu, Qiong-Li & Cournède, Paul-Henry & Mathieu, Amélie, 2012. "An efficient computational method for global sensitivity analysis and its application to tree growth modelling," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 35-43.
    15. Boysen-Hogrefe, Jens & Dovern, Jonas & Groll, Dominik & van Roye, Björn & Scheide, Joachim, 2010. "Droht in Deutschland eine Kreditklemme?," Kiel Discussion Papers 472/473, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    16. Song, Xiaodong & Bryan, Brett A. & Almeida, Auro C. & Paul, Keryn I. & Zhao, Gang & Ren, Yin, 2013. "Time-dependent sensitivity of a process-based ecological model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 265(C), pages 114-123.
    17. Link, Jason S. & Pranovi, Fabio & Libralato, Simone, 2022. "Simulations and interpretations of cumulative trophic theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 463(C).
    18. Carus, Jana & Heuner, Maike & Paul, Maike & Schröder, Boris, 2017. "Which factors and processes drive the spatio-temporal dynamics of brackish marshes?—Insights from development and parameterisation of a mechanistic vegetation model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 363(C), pages 122-136.
    19. Zhang, Jingjing & Dennis, Todd E. & Landers, Todd J. & Bell, Elizabeth & Perry, George L.W., 2017. "Linking individual-based and statistical inferential models in movement ecology: A case study with black petrels (Procellaria parkinsoni)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 360(C), pages 425-436.
    20. Pal, Saheb & Ghosh, Indrajit, 2023. "Dynamics of a coupled socio-environmental model: An application to global CO2 emissions," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 478(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-41532-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.