A study led by researchers at the University of Vermont describes how whales can transport essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus thousands of miles away from rich feeding grounds in cold waters to warmer,

A 2010 study from this same team dove into their poop, more specifically the whale ‘pump.’ Whales will feed deeper in the ocean and then come up to the surface to digest, rest, and poop. Their downward excrement then pumps critical nutrients and resources for plankton growth and into the water.

Whales transport vital nutrients from urine, placentas, carcasses and sloughing skin across oceans that help to keep marine ecosystems healthy, a study has revealed. Researchers found that these life-supporting nutrients are generated in the animals’ summer feeding habitats and then carried long distances as they travel to winter breeding grounds.