The Essential Rhythm 4/9/23: Yummy Yummy Copepods

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode highlights Calanus finmarchicus, a tiny crustacean that serves as a keystone species in north Atlantic food webs. North Atlantic Right Whales, commercially important fish and virtually all other predators in the north Atlantic feed on it because of its high nutrient content. C. finmarchicus likewise feeds heavily on phytoplankton and is a major conduit for moving primary productivity into the greater food web.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.