Krill are very small crustaceans of the sea that eat even smaller creatures called phytoplankton. Krill play a major role in the food chain because they provide food for a huge number of larger animals. From Antarctica to the Arctic, many animals — baleen whales, manta rays, whale sharks, many species of seals, fish, and seabirds — depend on krill as one of their main food sources. A team of researchers spent 38 days in the Arctic to learn about the ecosystem there and the possible effects of climate change.
(Photo courtesy of Carin Ashjian, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
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