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| Why scientists are counting tiny marine creatures, from Space | |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Krill are just a few centimetres long fully grown, but are one of the most abundant animals on Earth | Krill are just a few centimetres long fully grown, but are one of the most abundant animals on Earth |
| Scientists say subtle differences in the colour of seawater will enable them to count tiny - but critically important - Antarctic marine creatures, from Space. | |
| The target of the new research effort is Antarctic krill, which are just a couple of inches long and one of the most abundant and important animals on the planet. | The target of the new research effort is Antarctic krill, which are just a couple of inches long and one of the most abundant and important animals on the planet. |
| Marine wildlife - including whales, penguins, seals and seabirds – all feed on these diminutive creatures. | Marine wildlife - including whales, penguins, seals and seabirds – all feed on these diminutive creatures. |
| However, conservation scientists are concerned that fishing and climate change could be having a negative impact on them and say we need new ways to monitor the creatures. | However, conservation scientists are concerned that fishing and climate change could be having a negative impact on them and say we need new ways to monitor the creatures. |
| Dr Cait McCarry catching krill in a net in Antarctica in order to study the animals | Dr Cait McCarry catching krill in a net in Antarctica in order to study the animals |
| "Antarctic krill are the superheroes of the Southern Ocean," said Rod Downie, chief polar adviser at the wildlife charity WWF-UK. | "Antarctic krill are the superheroes of the Southern Ocean," said Rod Downie, chief polar adviser at the wildlife charity WWF-UK. |
| "They are tiny, unsung heroes that sustain incredible marine life, but climate change and unsustainable fishing are putting them at risk." | "They are tiny, unsung heroes that sustain incredible marine life, but climate change and unsustainable fishing are putting them at risk." |
| Researchers from the University of Strathclyde, WWF and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are developing a new way to use satellites to work out how many krill are in the ocean around Antarctica. | Researchers from the University of Strathclyde, WWF and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are developing a new way to use satellites to work out how many krill are in the ocean around Antarctica. |
| The scientists have started by studying how krill change the colour of seawater | The scientists have started by studying how krill change the colour of seawater |
| The key is in subtle differences in how much light seawater absorbs - depending on how many krill are swimming in it. | The key is in subtle differences in how much light seawater absorbs - depending on how many krill are swimming in it. |
| Dr Cait McCarry, from the University of Strathclyde, has just returned from a trip to Antarctica, where she caught krill in order to measure this effect. | Dr Cait McCarry, from the University of Strathclyde, has just returned from a trip to Antarctica, where she caught krill in order to measure this effect. |
| "We start with seawater, then we add in a krill and take a measurement [of how much light the water absorbs]," she explained. "Then we add another krill and take another measurement." | "We start with seawater, then we add in a krill and take a measurement [of how much light the water absorbs]," she explained. "Then we add another krill and take another measurement." |
| This analysis of exactly how the density of krill alters the colour of the ocean will, researchers say, allow them to take snapshots of the krill population from satellites - monitoring the population from Space. | This analysis of exactly how the density of krill alters the colour of the ocean will, researchers say, allow them to take snapshots of the krill population from satellites - monitoring the population from Space. |
| The fluke of a humpback whale, which is feeding on krill in Antarctica | The fluke of a humpback whale, which is feeding on krill in Antarctica |
| Revealing climate secrets hidden inside the bodies of whales | Revealing climate secrets hidden inside the bodies of whales |
| Ozone hole: Why Antarctic wildlife is being 'sunburnt' | Ozone hole: Why Antarctic wildlife is being 'sunburnt' |
| Trouble in Arctic town as people and polar bears face a warming world | Trouble in Arctic town as people and polar bears face a warming world |
| Krill are food for some of the largest animals on the planet - including giant whales that migrate thousands of kilometres, to Antarctica, to feed on them. | Krill are food for some of the largest animals on the planet - including giant whales that migrate thousands of kilometres, to Antarctica, to feed on them. |
| They are also the foundation of a healthy ocean - part of a virtuous cycle: Whales eat krill, krill eat microscopic plants that live in sea ice, and those plants absorb planet-warming carbon as they grow. When whales poop (in vast quantities), that fertilises the planet-cooling marine plants. | They are also the foundation of a healthy ocean - part of a virtuous cycle: Whales eat krill, krill eat microscopic plants that live in sea ice, and those plants absorb planet-warming carbon as they grow. When whales poop (in vast quantities), that fertilises the planet-cooling marine plants. |
| However, as the ocean temperatures rise with global warming, conservation scientists are concerned that this cycle could be disrupted, and that krill could be vulnerable. | However, as the ocean temperatures rise with global warming, conservation scientists are concerned that this cycle could be disrupted, and that krill could be vulnerable. |
| Mr Downie said: "We urgently need to better manage the fishery and protect krill habitats within a network of marine protected areas. | Mr Downie said: "We urgently need to better manage the fishery and protect krill habitats within a network of marine protected areas. |
| "[This project could] give us a new tool to help monitor and safeguard this vital species." | "[This project could] give us a new tool to help monitor and safeguard this vital species." |