COSEE Ocean Systems: News
Plankton make scents for seabirds and a cooler planet
Description: The top predators of the Southern Ocean, far-ranging seabirds, are tied both to the health of the ocean ecosystem and to global climate regulation through a mutual relationship with phytoplankton, according to a new paper. When phytoplankton are eaten by grazing crustaceans called krill, they release a chemical signal that calls in krill-eating birds. At the same time, this chemical signal -- dimethyl sulfide, or DMS -- forms sulfur compounds in the atmosphere that promote cloud formation and help cool the planet. [Source: ScienceDaily]
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140320125545.htm
Availability: Full Text
Source: ScienceDaily
Publish Date: 3/20/2014
Reading Level: Basic
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