Why are copepods and krill important in ocean food webs?

Copepods and krill are essential crustaceans that serve as foundational components of marine food chains.12

• Copepods: These widely distributed organisms are key to aquatic ecosystems, acting as a primary food source for many commercially important fish species. By grazing on microscopic plants and animals, they effectively transfer energy from lower trophic levels to larger predators.13
• Krill: These shrimplike animals occur in vast swarms, particularly in Antarctic waters, where they are the main prey for whales, birds, and various fish. As primary consumers of phytoplankton, they are vital for sustaining the region's biodiversity.23

Both groups are critical for the health of marine environments. However, their populations are increasingly vulnerable to environmental stressors, such as climate change and the loss of sea ice, which threaten the stability of the food webs they support. It is ethically imperative that human activities, including commercial harvesting, are managed sustainably to prevent the disruption of these essential ecosystems and the wildlife that depends on them.2