Beneath the glaciers of Antarctica, there are endless treasures. It was a small type of shrimp in staggering quantities, known as the "gold mine of the sea". This is Antarctic krill.
Antarctic krill is rich in nutritional value and is a food that humans compete forAccording to statistics, humans have been fishing for this shrimp on a large scale for more than 40 years, and the number of Antarctic krill is still staggering, why is that?
The name Antarctic krill sounds a little cute, but it's by no means the docile little creature it seems. As an important member of the Antarctic ecosystem, Antarctic krill is responsible for maintaining the entire food chain.
The range of Antarctic krill is mainly located in the Antarctic Convergence Zone at 55°S, which is a coastal zone that circles the Antarctic and freezes every year. Despite the harsh living conditions, Antarctic krill thrive with their tenacious vitality. They generally live in seawater below 3°C, and often in groups, which can be said to be a beautiful scenery in the cold Antarctica.
These little krill,Has a large appetite and cleansing ability that is not commensurate with the body type. They feed on a variety of plankton and act as an efficient microbial filter when cruising the ocean floor, sucking in all the phytoplankton in the seawater down to 1 micron and cleaning them every second15 square centimeters in area. At the same time, they unwittingly act as plankton regulators, avoiding ecological imbalances caused by overbreeding.
However, the importance of Antarctic krill goes far beyond that. They are also important food for many higher marine life**, such as whales, seals, fur seals and penguins. About 63 million tonnes of Antarctic krill are ingested by marine animals every yearIt can be seen that they support the entire food chain. If Antarctic krill suddenly disappear one day, many of the animals that depend on them for their livelihoods will face food shortages.
It is worth mentioning that the protein contained in Antarctic krill has also become an important way for many animals to obtain calories and nutrients. After analysis, researchers pointed out that eating an Antarctic krill,That's the equivalent of 5 grams of high-quality beef. This is undoubtedly great news for animals living in the cold polar regions.
In short, the abundance and adaptability of Antarctic krill make them an indispensable part of the Antarctic ecosystem. With their tiny bodies, they carry the entire food chain and create the endless marine world of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Ocean contains abundant Antarctic krill resources, which is not only an important part of the Antarctic ecosystem, but also an important strategic resource for countries to compete for. Over the years,Countries around the world have launched fierce competition for the development and utilization of Antarctic krillBoth reflect the importance of this resource and raise concerns about the consequences of its development. In the face of the pros and cons, how should we view the development of Antarctic krill resources?
Antarctic krill is a small crustacean with rich nutritional and economic value。Their bodies glow and they flock to feed at night, forming a brilliant "pink glowworm cloud".Bring life to the Antarctic night.
In the 70s of the 20th century, the former Soviet Union was the first to realize the importance of Antarctic krill and started industrial fishing, and then Japan, Norway and other countries joined the competition. In the 21st century, China has also accelerated the development of Antarctic krill resources. With a strong fleet and advanced fishing and processing technology, China is expected to leap to the top of the world in the near future.
The countries involved in the competition put a lot of effort into it. In order to compete for this precious resource, they have formed a professional fishing team, developed a variety of efficient fishing equipment, and built huge fishing and processing vesselsAmong them, China's "Deep Blue" is a typical representative. These vessels, which are often more than 100 metres long, can be used not only for large quantities, but also for offshore processing. Crews toiled in the bitterly cold of the Antarctic Ocean, sometimes adrift for months at sea.
The development of Antarctic krill resources is of great significance to the countries concerned. This will not only obtain rich economic benefits, but also improve the problem of protein supply shortageIt is of great benefit to the health of the people. Compared with terrestrial resources, marine resources are more strategically valuable and sustainable. As a result, there has been a fierce competition among countries for this precious resource.
However, the large-scale exploitation of Antarctic krill resources has also raised concerns among environmentalists. They argue that overfishing is likely to disrupt the ecological balance of Antarctica, and that exploitation must be strictly controlled. In fact, Antarctic krill are already at risk of overexploitation due to the scramble of countries to catch them. Scientists estimate that the global limit for Antarctic krill can be caught at 3 million to 5 million tonnes per year, while the current average annual catch is more than 1 million tonnes. If the catch continues to increase, it will inevitably cause immeasurable damage to the Antarctic ecological environment.
Antarctic krill,This little creature the size of a thumb has amazing survival skills. Not only are they huge in number, reaching an incredible 500 million to 1 billion tonnes, but they also possess extreme reproductive capacity, tenacious survival skills, and unique routines, all of which allow them to thrive in the harsh Antarctic environment.
First of all, Antarctic krill are very reproductive. Around March each year, adult krill gather in offshore areas for large-scale spawningThe reason for spawning at this time is precisely because the climate in March and April in Antarctica is relatively warm, which is conducive to egg hatching.
The entire spawning period can last up to a month, during which time Antarctic krill spawn several times. Scientific observations have found that the number of eggs laid is as high as 6,000-10,000 eggs per spawn, which means that a single female shrimp can lay thousands of offspring in a quarter. These eggs hatch after a few weeks of floating in seawater and are fully mature within a few months, gaining the ability to participate in the next round of reproduction. Such high fertility has allowed the Antarctic krill population to grow rapidly.
Secondly, Antarctic krill has strong environmental adaptability and survival skills. Before sexual maturity,They hide at depths of 1,500 meters for long periods of time to avoid predatory pressure from land and sea. In a food-scarce environment, Antarctic krill can shrink the body, remove the shell, reduce metabolism, minimize energy expenditure, and wait patiently for food to come. There are scientists who observeThis dormant state allows Antarctic krill to survive without food for more than 200 daysIt's their unique survival skills.
In addition, when encountering danger, Antarctic krill have excellent escape skills. Their compound eyes are extremely sensitive to light and movement, and can detect danger within 55 microseconds. They then use their powerful tail to quickly eject and escape, with speeds of up to 60 centimeters per second, greatly increasing their chances of survival.
Finally,Antarctic krill have different schedules from many predatorsIt also helps them save the day. During the day, Antarctic krill hide deep under the sea and lie dormant. When night falls, they set out en masse to feed on the surface of the sea. Conversely, many krill-feeding marine creatures such as penguins, seals, whales, etc., are more active during the day. This almost "nocturnal" life and rest avoids their direct contact with natural predators, and is also an important magic weapon for the survival of Antarctic krill.
It is these extraordinary survival methods that allow Antarctic krill to thrive under the pressure of human fishing. Although since the 60s of the 20th century, Japan, the Soviet Union and other countries have carried out large-scale commercial fishing, and the annual catch can reach hundreds of thousands of tons. But in the decades-long history of fishing,The total amount of krill in Antarctica has never decreased significantly, stabilizing at a high of 500 million to 1 billion tonnes. This is mainly due to their excellent survivability.
In recent years, in order to protect the Antarctic ecology, countries have set up special management committees to control fishing. Globally, only 5.61 million tonnes of Antarctic krill are allowed to be caught annually in a given area. Advances in technology have increased fishing efficiency, but the actual catch is far from the limit due to the high susceptibility of Antarctic krill to death and decay. As a result, there are still ample stocks of Antarctic krill that can be caught commercially.
Despite the pressure of commercial fishing, as well as the threat of declining sea ice and deteriorating living environments due to global warming, it has its tenacious vitality and vigorous populationAntarctic krill still thrive in those cold seas and continue to play an important role as the cornerstone of the food chain. Their extraordinary way of survival will also remain in the magical land of Antarctica, becoming a model of natural selection and survival of the fittest. **10,000 Fans Incentive Plan