Idaho Inlet and Icy Strait, Southeast Alaska
From the life held back in secret,a hand with many fingers questions the blind face that is Nature.
-John Haines
As we travel the coastline of Southeast Alaska, each day we are fortunate enough to explore unique coves, forest areas, intertidal zones, waterways, towns, glaciers, and especially ourselves. We get precious glimpses of how many aspects of nature unfold to demonstrate the interconnectedness of global ecosystems. With unending imagination, spirit, and innate curiosity, we can challenge ourselves to understand more thoroughly how each component contributes to the perpetuation, in its entirety, of what we simply denote as “the environment.”
Illustrating the issue of how smaller parts influence the whole, we began our day venturing into Idaho Inlet. We slowly drifted past numerous rafts of charismatic sea otters. It is not difficult to understand that their skittish behavior near humans likely resulted from nearly being hunted to extinction for their extraordinary pelts. This ecologically important species rarely leaves the water despite its abilities to deftly maneuver on land. Recently, the otters have been denoted as a keystone species: when removed from the food chain, the entire ecosystem is subsequently altered. Their cosmopolitan and often enviable diet of crabs, clams, shrimp, and other marine invertebrates helps maintain the balance of all organisms in intertidal and subtidal habitats. In their absence, a profusion of algal grazers eliminate the ecologically significant kelp forests. From the top down, when otter populations are decimated or eradicated, substantial modifications to food chains and even to the flow and recycling of nutrients are the result.
We encountered other examples of how relationships between smaller ecological processes can influence entire ecosystems as our Zodiacs delivered us on shore near Fox Creek. We embraced opportunities to practice closer examinations from kayaks and during interpretive walks. Fox Creek is a spawning stream for salmon and it is apparent that the omnivorous bears are frequenting this area. Having recently awakened from winter sleep, bears mark territories near the stream. The abundant trails created by their traverses towards the beach are evidence of their early season foraging. The bears are at the top of the terrestrial food chain and play an integral role in recycling. They begin feeding on grasses and intertidal invertebrates, and as the summer season progresses their diet will shift to take advantage of the wealth of berry bushes at the forest’s edge. When the salmon enter the streams, their significant role in the ecosystem is further emphasized as they recycle oceanic nutrients back onto land by consuming massive quantities of spawning fish.
Further illustrations of unique ecological processes continued in the afternoon as we sailed into Icy Strait. We had amazing encounters with multiple groups of active humpback and killer whales. At one extraordinary point, we had groups of each species on either side of the vessel. After watching coordinated feeding dives with simultaneous fluking of the humpbacks and seeing socially active killer whales, we could not help but speculate what interactions we might bear witness to. However, as the two groups began to travel in separate directions, recognition of the diverging feeding strategies exemplified how unique and highly evolved these foraging specialists truly are. We attempt to grasp how the immense humpbacks engulf enormous quantities of water to filter out some of the smallest organisms. We further contemplate how some of the much smaller killer whales are able to prey some of the largest animals live on the planet.
With the nature of our journey, our good fortune of the day, and most importantly our ability to alter our perceptions, we can better understand the integral role that each component plays and appreciate the magnificent splendor of nature.
From the life held back in secret,a hand with many fingers questions the blind face that is Nature.
-John Haines
As we travel the coastline of Southeast Alaska, each day we are fortunate enough to explore unique coves, forest areas, intertidal zones, waterways, towns, glaciers, and especially ourselves. We get precious glimpses of how many aspects of nature unfold to demonstrate the interconnectedness of global ecosystems. With unending imagination, spirit, and innate curiosity, we can challenge ourselves to understand more thoroughly how each component contributes to the perpetuation, in its entirety, of what we simply denote as “the environment.”
Illustrating the issue of how smaller parts influence the whole, we began our day venturing into Idaho Inlet. We slowly drifted past numerous rafts of charismatic sea otters. It is not difficult to understand that their skittish behavior near humans likely resulted from nearly being hunted to extinction for their extraordinary pelts. This ecologically important species rarely leaves the water despite its abilities to deftly maneuver on land. Recently, the otters have been denoted as a keystone species: when removed from the food chain, the entire ecosystem is subsequently altered. Their cosmopolitan and often enviable diet of crabs, clams, shrimp, and other marine invertebrates helps maintain the balance of all organisms in intertidal and subtidal habitats. In their absence, a profusion of algal grazers eliminate the ecologically significant kelp forests. From the top down, when otter populations are decimated or eradicated, substantial modifications to food chains and even to the flow and recycling of nutrients are the result.
We encountered other examples of how relationships between smaller ecological processes can influence entire ecosystems as our Zodiacs delivered us on shore near Fox Creek. We embraced opportunities to practice closer examinations from kayaks and during interpretive walks. Fox Creek is a spawning stream for salmon and it is apparent that the omnivorous bears are frequenting this area. Having recently awakened from winter sleep, bears mark territories near the stream. The abundant trails created by their traverses towards the beach are evidence of their early season foraging. The bears are at the top of the terrestrial food chain and play an integral role in recycling. They begin feeding on grasses and intertidal invertebrates, and as the summer season progresses their diet will shift to take advantage of the wealth of berry bushes at the forest’s edge. When the salmon enter the streams, their significant role in the ecosystem is further emphasized as they recycle oceanic nutrients back onto land by consuming massive quantities of spawning fish.
Further illustrations of unique ecological processes continued in the afternoon as we sailed into Icy Strait. We had amazing encounters with multiple groups of active humpback and killer whales. At one extraordinary point, we had groups of each species on either side of the vessel. After watching coordinated feeding dives with simultaneous fluking of the humpbacks and seeing socially active killer whales, we could not help but speculate what interactions we might bear witness to. However, as the two groups began to travel in separate directions, recognition of the diverging feeding strategies exemplified how unique and highly evolved these foraging specialists truly are. We attempt to grasp how the immense humpbacks engulf enormous quantities of water to filter out some of the smallest organisms. We further contemplate how some of the much smaller killer whales are able to prey some of the largest animals live on the planet.
With the nature of our journey, our good fortune of the day, and most importantly our ability to alter our perceptions, we can better understand the integral role that each component plays and appreciate the magnificent splendor of nature.
