Whales as ecosystem engineers: Recovery from overhunting helping to buffer marine ecosystems from destabilizing stresses
Thursday, July 3, 2014 - 11:30
in Earth & Climate
A review of research on whales shows that they have more a powerful influence on the function of oceans, global carbon storage, and the health of commercial fisheries than has been commonly assumed. The continued recovery of great whales from centuries of overhunting may help to buffer marine ecosystems from destabilizing stresses, including climate change, reports a global team of scientists.