Whale Poo Reveals Rise in Toxins Entering Marine Food Chain

Landmark research on Arctic whale faeces over the past two decades has revealed how rising ocean temperatures are stoking an increase in algal toxins in marine food chains.

The heating in northern waters follows trends seen in other regions and is causing algal blooms that are potentially harmful to animals including humans, according to US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) data. “Our results provide confirmative oceanic, atmospheric and biological evidence for increasing algal toxin concentrations in Arctic food webs due to warming ocean conditions,” said Kathi Lefebvre, the paper’s lead author and a research biologist at Noaa Fisheries.

This was particularly dramatic in the Arctic due to the rapid rate of warming and sea ice loss, she added. The research published in Nature on Wednesday underscores how climate change monitoring relies on long-term data sets gathered by organisations such as Noaa, which is facing heavy budget cuts by US President Donald Trump’s administration.