Krill are very small crustaceans of the sea that eat even smaller creatures, called phytoplankton. Krill are called a keystone species because they provide food for a large number of larger animals. If the krill were to disappear, so would all the creatures that eat them. The animals that eat krill are baleen whales, manta rays, whale sharks, many species of seals, fish, and seabirds.
Krill are a key component of the Antarctic food web, serving as a primary food source for many species including whales, seals, and penguins. While they play a crucial role, they are not the dominant herbivores in the Antarctic ecosystem, as there are other herbivorous organisms like algae and small fish that also contribute to the food web.
Krill serve as a vital food source for many species in the Antarctic ecosystem, including whales, seals, and seabirds. They help transfer energy from phytoplankton to higher trophic levels, playing a crucial role in the food web. Additionally, krill play a key role in carbon sequestration as they consume phytoplankton near the ocean's surface and transport the carbon to deeper waters when they die.
Euphasia superba, Antarctic krill, are the base of the food chain in the Southern Ocean that surrounds Antarctica.Any decline in their population would mean that the remainder of the food chain would be forced into warmer water to find food.
You may be thinking of Antarctic Krill, Euphausia superba,which forms the base of the Antarctic food chain.
The food web around the Antarctic continent -- no food grows on the continent: it's too cold -- exists in the Southern Ocean. This is a short food chain based in krill.
Krill are small crustaceans primarily found in the ocean, with the most notable type being Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), which is crucial to the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Other types include the Pacific krill (Euphausia pacifica) and Northern krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica), found in the North Atlantic. Each species varies in habitat, size, and role in the food web, serving as a vital food source for many marine animals, including whales, seals, and fish. Krill are also significant for their role in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration in marine environments.
Krill are small, shrimp-like crustaceans found in oceans around the world, particularly in cold waters like the Antarctic. They play a crucial role in the marine food web, serving as a primary food source for various species, including whales, seals, penguins, and fish. Krill feed primarily on phytoplankton, consuming it through filter-feeding. Their abundance and nutritional value make them vital for the health of marine ecosystems.
Herbivores
Because they're all apart of an important food chain. Krill are eaten by fish, which are eaten by penguins, which are eaten by seals, which are eaten by killer whales. I guess your thinking, then what does the Antarctic Blue Whale eat? They eat krill as well. See how it's turning into a food web?
phitoplankton
There is no food web in Antarctica's ice sheets, cap or glaciers.
There is no food web on the Antarctic continent: it's too cold there to sustain one..