SCIENCE & NATURE BRIEFS
HUNGRY HUMPBACKS
aleen whales, such as blue and humpback whales, consume three times more than previously estimated, says a Californian-led study published in . They consume vast amounts of prey and contribute to nutrient recycling by excreting undigested food on which phytoplankton feed. The underestimation of their consumption suggests whales play a bigger role in maintaining ocean ecosystems than previously thought and has implications for past estimations of the impact of whaling.
