• Antarctic krill trap vast amounts of carbon from the atmosphere in the ocean floor through their sinking fecal pellets, a new study reports.
• The annual amount is similar to that stored by “blue carbon habitats” such as mangroves, seagrass and salt marshes, highlighting the importance of protecting krill.
• Global warming, melting ice and overfishing pose threats to krill, say researchers who call for new fishing policies to conserve them.

The study