News Finding: This suggests that marine top predators are important in climate regulation, although they are mostly left out of climate models, Nevitt says.
Paper Finding: (Figure credit : Allison Bruce.)
News Context: "The data are really striking," says Gabrielle Nevitt, professor of neurobiology, physiology, and behavior at the University of California, Davis, and co-author of the paper with graduate student Matthew Savoca. This suggests that marine top predators are important in climate regulation, although they are mostly left out of climate models, Nevitt says. "In addition to studying how these marine top predators are responding to climate change, our data suggest that more attention should be focused on how ecological systems, themselves, impact climate.
Paper Context: Once attracted, the procellariiformes may benefit the phytoplankton by adding limiting nutrients via excretion. (Figure credit : Allison Bruce.) Their contribution of beneficial iron recycled to marine phytoplankton via excretion suggests a chemically mediated link between marine top predators and oceanic primary production.