Question

Why is whale excrement important to oceanic ecosystems?

Answer 1

Whales play an important role in fertilizing the ocean, by carrying nutrients from the deeper water toward the surface, where they defecate. Meanwhile, fish and zooplankton excrete nutrients in a way that pushes them deeper into the water. While many mammals produce excrement in clumps, whale poop is more of a slurry.

Answer 2

Whale excrement feeds the microscopic organisms in the water and acts as a fertiliser for plants within the body of water.