Table 1 Yearly movement of biomass and nutrients by whales migrating from feeding to breeding grounds. Detritus includes carcasses and placentas
From: Migrating baleen whales transport high-latitude nutrients to tropical and subtropical ecosystems
Total Biomass | Detrital C | Detrital N | Urea N | C fixation from urea | Total N | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Atlantic | ||||||
Humpback | 4425 (3522; 4784) | 464 (369; 501) | 55 (44; 60) | 303 (244; 332) | 1720 (1385; 1883) | 358 (288; 391) |
Humpback prehunting | 6044 (4755; 8551) | 634 (498; 896) | 76 (59; 107) | 414 (311; 687) | 2349 (1767; 3897) | 489 (372; 793) |
Right | 20 (17; 24) | 2.1 (1.8; 2.5) | 0.2 (0.2; 0.3) | 4.0 (3.5; 4.6) | 23 (20; 26) | 4.3 (3.7; 4.9) |
Right prehunting | 933 (755; 1110) | 98 (79; 116) | 11 (9; 13) | 210 (170; 249) | 1191 (966; 1416) | 221 (179; 263) |
Total present | 4446 (3539; 4808) | 466 (371; 504) | 56 (44; 60) | 307 (248; 336) | 1743 (1405; 1909) | 363 (292; 396) |
Total prehunting | 6977 (5510; 9661) | 731 (578; 1013) | 87 (68; 120) | 624 (482; 936) | 3539 (2733; 5313) | 710 (551; 1056) |
North Pacific | ||||||
Gray | 7757 (6323; 8269) | 813 (663; 867) | 97 (79; 104) | 435 (371; 460) | 2472 (2105; 2613) | 533 (450; 564) |
Gray prehunting | 9423 (7679; 10,295) | 988 (805; 1079) | 118 (96; 129) | 529 (443; 588) | 3002 (2512; 3338) | 647 (539; 716) |
Humpback | 7866 (6712; 8476) | 824 (703; 888) | 98 (84; 106) | 539 (468; 579) | 3057 (2654; 3287) | 637 (552; 685) |
Humpback prehunting | 7376 (6700; 8650) | 773 (702; 907) | 92 (84; 108) | 505 (477; 625) | 2866 (2707; 3549) | 597 (561; 733) |
Right | 24 (20; 28) | 2.5 (2.1; 3.0) | 0.3 (0.2; 0.3) | 4.8 (4.1; 5.5) | 27 (24; 31) | 5.1 (4.4; 5.8) |
Right prehunting | 912 (759; 1068) | 96 (80; 112) | 11 (8.9; 13) | 205 (176; 233) | 1164 (1001; 1325) | 216 (185; 246) |
Total present | 15,647 (13,055; 16,773) | 1640 (1368; 1758) | 196 (164; 210) | 979 (843; 1045) | 5556 (4783; 5931) | 1175 (1007; 1254) |
Total prehunting | 17,711 (15,137; 20,013) | 1856 (1587; 2097) | 221 (189; 250) | 1239 (1096; 1447) | 7033 (6220; 8213) | 1460 (1286; 1695) |
Southern Hemisphere | ||||||
Humpback | 25,593 (20,811; 27,207) | 2682 (2181; 2851) | 320 (260; 340) | 1752 (1482; 1846) | 9945 (8411; 10,476) | 2072 (1743; 2185) |
Humpback prehunting | 41,812 (34,070; 44,238) | 4382 (3571; 4636) | 523 (426; 553) | 2862 (2452; 2980) | 16,248 (13,920; 16,916) | 3385 (2878; 3534) |
Right | 827 (687; 970) | 87 (72; 102) | 10 (8.2; 12) | 165 (142; 188) | 937 (808; 1069) | 175 (151; 200) |
Right prehunting | 9577 (7952; 11,159) | 1004 (833; 1169) | 113 (93; 131) | 2154 (1,870; 2430) | 12,225 (10,616; 13,791) | 2266 (1963; 2561) |
Total present | 26,420 (21,498; 28,177) | 2769 (2253; 2953) | 330 (268; 352) | 1917 (1624; 2034) | 10,882 (9220; 11,546) | 2247 (1894; 2385) |
Total prehunting | 51,389 (42,022; 55,396) | 5386 (4404; 5806) | 635 (519; 684) | 5016 (4323; 5410) | 28,472 (24,536; 30,707) | 5651 (4841; 6095) |
Global present | 46,512 (38,092; 49,758) | 4874 (3992; 5215) | 581 (476; 622) | 3203 (2714; 3415) | 18,180 (15,407; 19,386) | 3784 (3193; 4035) |
Global prehunting | 76,076 (62,669; 85,070) | 7973 (6568; 8915) | 943 (777; 1054) | 6879 (5900; 7793) | 39,044 (33,489; 44,232) | 7822 (6677; 8845) |
