Jellyfish: No Fat, No Calories, But Why Do They Still Attract Predators?

moon jellyfish, jellyfish

A new study has been carried out by a group of scientists who want to find about why this gelatinous creature is the main food source for most of the animals. The study is based on moon jelly samples from German Fjord. They contain no fat, no carbohydrates, just mostly of water. Yet, they are eaten by predators in the sea, fish, sea anemones, and even corals and turtles.

Marine biologist and jellyfish expert Jamileh Javidpour says "The jellyfish we examined contain some fatty acids that are very valuable for their predators. Fatty acids are vital components of cell membranes and play a crucial role in processes like growth and reproduction".

The researchers have collected jellyfish every 2 weeks for 2 years. They say that the content of fatty acid varies with the seasons. Several essential fatty acids are found in the moon jellyfish, polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid 

The jellyfish is an opportunistic prey for many of the many organisms. The predator doesn't get much energy by eating a single jellyfish, but a lot can make the difference and can provide the predator with valuable fatty acids.

As an example, researchers have observed that the salmon can eat a jellyfish 20 times faster than the shrimp. The jellyfish cannot swim away when the predator is eating, so the predator doesn't have to spend much energy and at the same time no need to implement any strategy.   

"As we see an increase in jellyfish, I suspect that we will also come to see a change in predator populations especially in areas where the abundances of usual prey items might be endangered by a changing environment," says Jamileh Javidpour.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sea Turtles: The Endangered Species

Image
Sea Turtles have outlived almost all the prehistoric animals once they shared the planet. Marine turtles inhabit the oceans open waters and coastal habitats, feeding on jellyfish and other aquatic plants and animals. They are the live representatives of a group of reptiles that traveled our sea for more than 100 million years.  Importance of Sea Turtles These sea turtles have been living for more than 100 million years and maintaining a fundamental link in the marine ecosystem. They maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs that benefit the valuable species such as lobster, shrimp, and tuna. Having outlived million years they can hold their breath up to five hours. They also transfer the vital nutrients from oceans to beaches and dunes. The seven extant species are The Green, Loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Flatback, and Leatherback, which are endangered. Five of the seven species are found in tropical and subtropical waters. The other two sp...
Read more

What Gives More Oxygen on Planet Earth?

Image
Everybody knows that plants and trees produce oxygen for the earth. But, do you know that oceans and seas contribute more oxygen. Produced by marine plants, algae and single-celled organisms called phytoplankton. These may not be seen by the naked eye but produce more, which is not even close to the proportions produced by the trees and plants. The ocean produces oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, which converts sunlight and carbon dioxide and can use as energy. One type of plankton, Prochlorococcus releases tons of oxygen into atmosphere. So small, that can millions can be present in a single drop of water. It produces 20% of the oxygen to the earth biosphere, which is more than the rainforests on land combined. Scientists mention that a single cell can give oxygen for one in every 5 breaths we take. Calculating the amounts of oxygen on oceans may vary because of the change in climate conditions, geographic location and with the tides. It is also important to remember that the...
Read more

Experiencing Georgia Aquarium

Image
Hey there, I'm Mounika and I'm here to talk about the most magical and engaging place Georgia aquarium  No matter your age, everyone is a kid at Georgia Aquarium . Home to the most amazing aquatic animals, including beluga whales, whale sharks, manta rays, penguins, sea otters, dolphins and many more. Whether it may be dolphin show or sea lion presentation or entering the zone of Predators of the Deep, everything is amazing at Georgia aquarium. Filled with 11 millions gallons of water in seven permanent galleries making home to over 100,000 animals.  The Georgia Aquarium is divided into 7 sections: Coldwater Quest, Ocean Voyager, Tropical Diver, Georgia Explorer, River Scout, Predators of the Deep and Dolphin Tales. Ocean Voyager is the largest exhibit with 100-foot underwater tunnels and one of the largest viewing windows.  There's so much to see in Georgia Aquarium. I spent half a day roaming and getting mesmerized by the amazing creatures. Located in Downtown Atlanta a...
Read more