![\"whale-poo\"](\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/a\/feeds\/us\/grn\/green_ecogeek\/whale-poo.jpg\")
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Australian scientists have discovered that whale poo is not only helping ocean plant life to flourish, but also increasing the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2.<\/p>\n
Because whales’ diets are made up largely of iron-rich krill (small crustaceans), their droppings are a great fertilizer for marine plants, helping them to grow like weeds (or algae<\/a>).\u00a0 These plants then do their part by absorbing CO2 as they grow, a process that scientists have tried to amp up<\/a> (unsuccessfully) in Antarctic waters with iron fertilization.<\/p>\n Researchers say one-third of the world’s oceans are low in iron.\u00a0 On the other hand, whale excrement contains a very high concentration of the mineral — about 10 million times the concentration in Antarctic seawater.\u00a0 But how will scientists use this information?\u00a0 That’s not clear yet, but it’s a great reminder of how intricately well-tuned nature can be.<\/p>\n