Scientists learn that seabird poop is

important to many ecosystems

By Atlas Obscura, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.02.18
Word Count 450
Level 820L

Group of Empire penguin chicks in Antarctica. Penguins produce more poop than any other seabird. Photo by: Wolfgang Kaehler/
LightRocket via Getty Images

A flock of seagulls sure can make a lot of poop. You've probably noticed. For hundreds of years,
other people have noticed this, too.

In 1609, an explorer named Garcilaso del la Vega came across huge mounds of bird poop. He
was in Peru, a country in South America. He wrote that the piles were so large they looked like
“the snowy crests of a range of mountains.”

Incan farmers in South America used the poop for fertilizer. In time, European farmers did this,
too. Guano, the fancy name for seabird poop, became very valuable.

A group of scientists has published a new study. They studied an important question about poop.

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They wanted to know about the nitrogen and phosphorus from seabird poop. Nitrogen and
phosphorus are chemical elements. Elements are substances that cannot be broken down into
simpler substances.

Contributing To The Nutrient Cycle

Nitrogen and phosphorus are important nutrients for plants and animals. They cycle through living
things and back into the environment. This process is called a nutrient cycle. The scientists
wanted to learn how much nitrogen and phosphorus are being added to the world's nutrient
cycles.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are needed in certain amounts in nature. This means their movements
and amounts are important, says Miguel Angel Huerta-Diaz, a co-author of the study.

Huerta-Diaz and his team continued from the previous work of another group of scientists. The
group developed an equation that let them use different variables. Examples include seabirds'
size, food choices and time spent breeding.

This gave scientists an estimate of nitrogen being produced by seabird poop. They tweaked the
equation to estimate the phosphorus produced.

Huerta-Diaz said the team came up with some big numbers.

Macaroni Penguin Is The "Poop King"

All seabirds combined produce about 99 billion grams of phosphorus per year. They produce
about 591 billion grams of nitrogen.

Only small percentages of the phosphorus and nitrogen from seabird poop enter into the
environment.

Seabirds transfer about as much nitrogen and phosphorus from the ocean to the land as large-
scale fishing businesses do.

The scientists also learned some interesting facts. The poop king, they found, is the Macaroni
penguin. They make nearly one-fourth of the total nitrogen and phosphorus pooped out by all
seabirds. This is because they are quite large, Huerta-Diaz says.

Penguins as a whole make a lot of poop. Other types of seabirds poop a lot, too. They include the
Northern Fulmar, the Common Guillemot, the Short-Tailed Shearwater and the Thick-billed
Murre.

Seabirds are important sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. These are needed in nature. Huerta-
Diaz hopes his work will help people see that seabirds are very important. Perhaps, more people
will want to help protect them.

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Quiz

1 Select the selection from the article that states one possible result of the new study.

(A) A group of scientists has published a new study. They studied an important
question about poop.

(B) This means their movements and amounts are important, says Miguel Angel
Huerta-Diaz, a co-author of the study.

(C) Huerta-Diaz and his team continued from the previous work of another group of
scientists.

(D) Huerta-Diaz hopes his work will help people see that seabirds are very important.

2 Read the selection from the section "Contributing To The Nutrient Cycle."

The group developed an equation that let them use different variables.
Examples include seabirds' size, food choices and time spent breeding.
This gave scientists an estimate of nitrogen being produced by seabird
poop. They tweaked the equation to estimate the phosphorus produced.

Which of the following is the MOST accurate explanation of this selection?

(A) Scientists are more concerned with calculating the approximate amount of
nitrogen in seabird poop than phosphorus.

(B) Scientists are using math to figure out the approximate amounts of phosphorus
and nitrogen produced by seabird poop.

(C) Scientists are using equations to calculate the amount of poop in order to help
seabirds produce more nitrogen and phosphorus.

(D) Scientist are guessing how much poop seabirds are creating by looking at the
sizes and types of food that each bird eats.

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3 Read the following selection from the section "Contributing To The Nutrient Cycle."

Nitrogen and phosphorus are important nutrients for plants and animals.
They cycle through living things and back into the environment. This
process is called a nutrient cycle.

What is BEST way to define "process" as it is used in the selection above?

(A) a forward motion to arrive at a specific location

(B) a series of changes that happen over and over

(C) a way of organizing living things into categories

(D) a set of strict rules that must be followed to avoid failure

4 Read the sentence from the section "Macaroni Penguin Is The Poop King."

Seabirds are important sources of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Which sentence uses "sources" in the SAME way as the sentence above?

(A) The sources have shared helpful information with the police.

(B) Her sources told her that the mayor planned big changes for the city.

(C) He used research from many sources in his report.

(D) The sources of the smell were rotten food and garbage.

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