Whales - Oceans' engineers?

http://dailydigestnews.com/2014/07/whales-proclaimed-engineers-of-the-ocean-by-scientists/

"With huge metabolic demands, great whales are the ocean’s ecosystem engineers: they eat many fish and invertebrates, and distribute nutrients through the water. Even their carcasses, dropping to the seafloor, provide habitat for many species that only exist on these “whale falls”.

“Among their many ecological roles, whales recycle nutrients and enhance primary productivity in areas where they feed,” said Joe Roman, biologist at the University of Vermont. Whales do this by feeding at depth and releasing fecal plumes near the surface — which supports plankton growth — a remarkable process described as a “whale pump.” Whales also move nutrients thousands of miles from productive feeding areas at high latitudes to calving areas at lower latitudes."

I never thought of it in that sense. There's so much about these creatures people have to learn about. Can you imagine what we as a collective group of species could do if we could communicate and take action for mutual advantage?

I'm sure these creatures have much to say about uh ... oh I don't know ... global warming for instance.