Diel Vertical Migration: A Key Player in Carbon Sequestration

Source– This post is based on the article “What is Diel Vertical Migration and its role in carbon sequestration?” published in “The Hindu” on 6th December 2023.

Why in the News?

Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) has garnered attention in recent news for its involvement in carbon sequestration.

What is Diel Vertical Migration?

1) Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) is the coordinated daily movement of marine organisms (particularly zooplankton) between the ocean’s surface and deeper layers.

2) At sunset, deep-sea organisms ascend from the mesopelagic layer (200-1,000 m deep) to the epipelagic layer (topmost zone from the surface to 200 m), driven by the need for food.

What is the Significance of DVM?

1) This nighttime migration allows deep sea marine organisms to feed on phytoplankton while evading diurnal predators.

2)  It is the largest daily biomass migration on Earth, occurring daily in all oceans.

3) Serves as an Important Carbon Sink– As the mesopelagic creatures feed on surface plankton, they extract carbon from the upper surface and carry it with them when they migrate back to the deeper oceans.
Some of these creatures may get consumed by other predators, passing on the consumed carbon to them. When the predator produces carbon-rich waste, it sinks to the ocean floor and remains trapped for millennia.

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