Krill Dome

Euphausiacea

Krill average at around 2 inches in length, but they represent a giant link in the global food chain. These small, shrimp-like crustaceans power the Earth’s marine ecosystems. They feed on phytoplankton, and they are the main staple in the diets of hundreds of animals, from fish and birds, to whales. Many life forms depend on krill. Since the 1970s, Antarctic Krill populations have dropped by 80%. Scientists attribute this decline to ice cover lost caused by global warming. The ice loss removes ice-algae, a primary source of food for Antarctic Krill.