Cetaceans

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About 50% of the air humans breathe is produced by the ocean, thanks to phytoplankton and whale waste. The Whale Poop Loop is the foundation of the marine food web and the planet's lungs.

Packed with nutrients, whale waste is a super fertilizer that supports phytoplankton, which produces oxygen and is food for zooplankton, fish, and other marine species. The marine creatures phytoplankton support then provide food for shorebirds and humans.

These marine leviathans also help mitigate the human-made climate crisis. One whale can capture an average of 33 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifespan. A live oak tree, one of the most efficient carbon-capturing tree species, captures about 12 tons of carbon dioxide over a up to 500-year lifespan.

https://phys.org/news/2025-07-whale-poop-loop-ocean-humans.html