Anchovies' 'frantic behaviour' during spawning causes turbulence in waters and helps to circulate nutrients

Anchovies' 'frantic behaviour' during spawning causes turbulence in waters and helps to circulate nutrients

By Shivali Best

Source: dailymail

4/7/2022

Credit: aquapix

Anchovies display such frantic behaviour when they spawn that they cause Earth's oceans to move, a new study has revealed.

Researchers from the University of Southampton found that waters in coastal regions are mixed during anchovy spawning, which helps to circulate nutrients and oxygen.

According to the researchers, the process is key to keeping the ocean ecosystems running and sustaining life.

The mixing of the oceans is crucial to ensure heat, oxygen, nutrients and pollutants are moved between different layers.

While previous studies have shown how winds and tides drive most of this mixing, until now, little has been known about the contribution made by animals.

In their study, the team monitored water turbulence in Ria de Pontevedra, a bay in the north-west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, for 15 days.