Animals, specifically fish and whales, are part of the carbon cycle process that emits greenhouse emissions. This is the conclusion reached by a team of researchers from the University of Agder (United States).
According to Angela Helen Martin, one of the principal researchers, “it is good that carbon is trapped in the ocean” but it is not necessary to reduce the greenhouse gases produced by humans and that damage the climate. In addition, the results of the study have been published in the journal One Earth .
Thus, this scientist has analyzed, in different articles, how fish and other marine animals affect greenhouse gases in the ocean.
One of their conclusions is that we should better analyze how animals affect carbon emissions. Well, in this way, effective carbon management in ocean habitats (and marine populations) could be carried out.
Animals store carbon
The team of researchers has studied how fish, whales, turtles, birds and other marine animals affect the movement and storage of carbon in the ocean.
According to Martin, animals feed on carbon (through their food) and subsequently store it in their bodies. Finally, they expel it through their stool or exhale it. In fact, some fish and whales expel nutrients (through feces) that plants can use for photosynthesis.
These plants produce organic carbon from carbon dioxide. And when animals move, carbon and nutrients move with them too.
The carbon cycle absorbs greenhouse gases
As the study concludes, the ocean has absorbed a quarter of greenhouse emissions in the last decade through the carbon cycle. This cycle is also a process that occurs naturally.
“Most of the emissions that the ocean has absorbed do not pass through living components such as plants, animals or bacteria. Instead, they dissolve in water and contribute to the warming and acidification of the oceans ”, the researcher assured.
Furthermore, although it represents a very small percentage of the carbon in the ocean, plants, salt marshes, wetlands, seagrasses and animals could be affected by the management of ocean resources.
For this reason, it is essential that we reduce greenhouse emissions to stop climate change.
