Did you know penguin poop provides essential nutrients for new terrestrial life to flourish in Antarctica? In arctic climates, vital nutrients that cultivate life are few and far between. Researches are now mapping the nitrogen footprint across the continent to further study its effects on this ecosystem.
“What we see is that the poo produced by seals and penguins partly evaporates as ammonia,” Bokhorst said in a statement. “Then, the ammonia gets picked up by the wind and is blown inland, and this makes its way into the soil and provides the nitrogen that primary producers need in order to survive in this landscape.”
