Migrating baleen whales transport high-latitude nutrients to tropical and subtropical ecosystems

Migrating baleen whales transport high-latitude nutrients to tropical and subtropical ecosystems

Baleen whales migrate from productive high-latitude feeding grounds to usually oligotrophic tropical and subtropical reproductive winter grounds, translocating limiting nutrients across ecosystem boundaries in their bodies. Here, we estimate the latitudinal movement of nutrients through carcasses, placentas, and urea for four species of baleen whales that exhibit clear annual migration, relying on spatial data from publicly available databases, …