Antarctic krill vertical migrations modulate seasonal carbon export

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By A. J. R. Smith et al, Science. 

Editor's summary: Shrimp-like krill constitute the greatest biomass of any living animal: up to 379 million tonnes in the Southern Ocean. Dead krill and their feces sink and are assumed to export tens of millions of tons of carbon annually; however, these data are gleaned from patchy observations. Smith et al. deployed a seafloor lander carrying an echosounder, camera, lights, and other equipment offshore of East Antarctica to provide consistent direct observational data, including difficult-to-obtain winter data, to feed into a carbon flux model. The year-long observations showed heterogeneous migratory behaviors by krill, including strong seasonal shifts. Migration means that recirculation of carbon can occur, so krill may make a smaller contribution to net carbon storage than what is found in current estimates. —Caroline Ash. 

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