The Surprising Way Seabird Poop Helps Keep the Arctic Cool
New research suggests that the ammonia in seabird waste plays a part in the formation of sunlight-reflecting clouds.
There's no end to the unexpected ways nature is interconnected, but this is definitely one of the more humorous聽examples.聽聽
According to in Nature Communications, once聽ammonia in聽seabird waste gets released into the atmosphere, it interacts with water and sulfuric acid particles聽to create the basic building blocks聽for low-lying聽clouds, which聽reflect sunlight and聽help keep Arctic waters cool.
The researchers first聽made the connection between seabirds and ammonia in another聽paper聽earlier this year, when they found that聽ammonia聽bursts in the Arctic聽were聽tied to the tens of millions of seabirds that head north聽during the summer.
Now, this news might have you聽thinking: "Puffin poop is our secret weapon to fighting聽climate change! We must have more聽puffin poop!"
Not so fast. While the聽abundance of ammonia helps contribute to cooling, the researchers note that it is not nearly enough to combat the negative effects of聽climate change in the Arctic, which includes shrinking sea ice at unprecedented rates.
Even still, better understanding the聽relationship聽between seabirds and the atmosphere is a good reminder of the complexity of nature and the importance of protecting the Arctic and the聽wildlife that calls it聽home. After all, every little bit (of poop) counts.