Environ. SANTA CRUZ, Calif. The recovery of southern sea otters appears to have taken an upturn, according to results from the annual California sea otter survey released by the U.S. Geological Survey today. doi: 10.1007/s10021-013-9715-7. Sea otters are found almost everywhere in the world. (2013). J. Wildl. J. Parasitol. A., Hatfield, B. At the largest, the range spanned the entire northern Pacific Rim from Southern California to areas of Japan. The POC that is produced in the spring bloom may be a source of carbon that circulates in the water column for the remainder of the year, while the kelp provides a continuous source of carbon even in the winter when there is negligible phytoplankton productivity (Tallis, 2009). doi: 10.1016/S0020-7519(02)00069-3, Miller, M. A., Grigg, M. E., Kreuder, C., James, E. R., Melli, A. C., Crosbie, P. R., et al. (2015). Coinciding with recent population growth, the sea otter distribution, which previously tended to concentrate on the west side, appears to have shifted toward an expansion of use in the north and especially greater seasonal use in the north and south during winter and spring. In 1911, hunting was prohibited under the terms of an international treaty for the protection of North Pacific fur seals and sea otters signed by the United States, Japan, Great Britain (for Canada), and Russia. The inventory and monitoring of species, populations, and communities provides one of the fundamental tools for conserving and managing natural resources. Alaska: U.S. /Length 9 0 R doi: 10.1890/08-0765.1, Williams, P. J., Hooten, M. B., Womble, J. N., Esslinger, G. G., and Bower, M. R. (2018). Biol. Econ. . The research is being led by a partnership of the U.S. Geological Survey, University of California-Santa Cruz, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR), with assistance from other partners. J. Mammal. Riedman, M. L., and Estes, J. Southern sea otter population density along the California coast. doi: 10.3354/meps08138, Tarjan, L. M., and Tinker, M. T. (2016). It also includes a comprehension tri-fold with comprehension questions for the story. Population expansion occurred initially through protection from hunting and later through reintroductions with varying degrees of success. Want to read all 7 pages? The diet of sea otters in the KEJF includes a high proportion of intertidal mussels (58%), which have experienced a period of decline and subsequent recovery despite consistent site-specific settlement of small mussels over time (Coletti et al., 2016; Bodkin et al., 2018). Sci. Esslinger, G. G., and Bodkin, J. L. (2009). '3 i]']&lExZ BX"!p+aL6IAnU/DaFLU7 0N$0b/ vqfSs[3fBaISS%;v]I~_?^t.8rjGJ>q8hO]%wGx5DMM-1L/uJ9ttRaw}Z 2Jb K[&x6k >E^[m$1fRcV6q)Y4IDnqpzwhPreoRlY~YoAG.3\0L\HU"!hm(ekpjm LcXT4q. A sea otter floats on its back. Pups are born well-developed with their eyes open, a thick fur coat, and a set of teeth. A., et al. To minimize the potential for disturbance and harm to sea otters, people sharing sea otter habitat should: Sea otters have webbed feet, water-repellent fur to keep them dry and warm, and nostrils . U.S.A. 106, 22422247. Some of these instruments exist, but they require refinement and field-testing on sea otters before their potential use can be assessed. In addition to re-establishing population connectivity and restoring genetic diversity, the translocation of sea otters into historically occupied habitat restores the nearshore ecosystem. What is the trend between 20-30 years in the kelp population? Patterns of mortality in southern sea otters (Anhydrates lutris nereis) from 19982001. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2005.tb01218.x, Estes, J. Ecol. The population never grew as expected and in 2012,the FWS declared the translocation a failure. The population decline likely began in the mid-1980s and declined at a rate of 17.5%/year in the 1990s. Write a letter explaining why an organization should give you money for your work. Mamm. HC wrote Question 3. Proc. (2011). During the maritime fur trade, sea otters were exterminated throughout much of their range not by commercial harvest per se, but by serial harvests that extirpated animals from one area to the next (Bodkin, 2015). They have webbed hind legs, which look like flippers. Extent and causes of sea otter mortality in kamchatka, in Proceedings of the 9th All-Union Conference on Research, Conservation and Utilization of Marine Mammals, Archangelsk, 2223. RD organized and integrated this article and wrote the Introduction, Question 2, and the Conclusion and Recommendations. Ecology 73, 413428. International legal protection and translocations in the 20th century have enabled sea otters to recover and reoccupy historical habitats with varying levels of success. Monitoring dynamic spatio-temporal ecological processes optimally. Manag. Olympia, WA: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. One view is driven by the conservation of sea otters as a species hunted to near extinction. 11, 378383. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-1739.1999.98124.x, Bodkin, J. L., Coletti, H. A., Ballachey, B. E., Monson, D. H., Esler, D., and Dean, T. A. Oikos 114, 257264. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Santa Cruz. doi: 10.1644/1545-1542(2002)083<0893:MDAMDV>2.0.CO;2. These include sea otter ecotourism, their role as an important component of the nearshore ecosystem (see Question 3), as a competitor for commercial and subsistence shellfish fisheries (see Question 6), and as a species traditionally harvested by Alaska Native groups. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service. Southern sea otters, also known as California sea otters, live in the waters along the central California coastline. Dean, T. A., and Bodkin, J. L. (2011). Because of differences in sea otters use of mussels outside of KEFJ, and the varying densities of sea otters across the Gulf, the Gulf-wide decline in large mussels was not attributed solely to sea otters, but rather to the combined effects of a broad suite of predators on post-settlement survival (top-down effects). In the future, image based survey methods may eventually provide more efficient, accurate and precise abundance estimates suitable for monitoring sea otters at appropriate spatial scales. rents. Researchers are seeking to understand their role in the estuarine food web and to quantify and understand the effects of human-caused stressors such as contaminants or nutrient inputs on sea otters in Elkhorn Slough, California. Since the mid-1980s, the sea otter population in southwest Alaska has declined by an estimated 56-68% . Setting realistic recovery targets for interacting endangered species. Early on, interactions with fisheries were identified as a possible cause. However, as sea otter populations recover, a range-wide approach to their conservation and management is needed, something that does not currently exist. Growth - The Sea Otter Population Growth Historical Data Figure 1: Sea otter population measured off the coast of Vancouver Island Sea otters once ranged from Northern Japan to central Baja California, and had an estimated global population of between 150,000 and 300,000. Ecology 89, 27252735. However, science and conservation-based management decisions began about 60 years ago, and much of the research on sea otters in the United States has occurred since the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The minimal population estimate was 8,742 sea otters in 2000. Effects of Sea Otter Colonization on Soft-Sediment Intertidal Prey Assemblages in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Dis. Part 2 Top Stud. A sea otters lower jaw is equipped with four incisors. In contrast, white shark predation has had population-level effects within the southern sea otters range (Tinker et al., 2016). A new pathogen transmission mechanism in the ocean: the case of sea otter exposure to the land-parasite Toxoplasma gondii. /Title () A., Ricca, M. A., Miles, A. K., and Forsman, E. D. (2008). doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0706.2000.900304.x. Sea otters likely also benefit Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) and salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) Larson, S., Jameson, R., Etnier, M., Fleming, M., and Bentzen, P. (2002b). Students should have prior knowledge of food chains, food webs, and keystone species to successfully complete the activity.As students read the news article, they identify predator-prey relationships within the ecosystem and analyze population trends as well as the root cause of the ecosystem collapse. No survey counts occurred during 2020. Conserv. An official website of the United States government. Ecol. Explain. An important density-independent factor is primary production, which injects carbon and nutrients into the food web (see Question 3). Previous samples were collected from widely dispersed locations and shared among studies, and they suggested that sampling on a microgeographic scale should be considered in future genetic analysis. Sea otters rely on their fur for insulation, which cannot be compromised by the attachment of external satellite telemeters used with many other marine mammal species. Proc. Adult sea otters may grow up to 5 feet in length. Sea otters are adorable and fascinating little mammals who live most of their lives in water, rarely ever going on land. Explain. Despite the translocation having been declared a failure, the population on San Nicolas Island continues to increase. Their fur is made up of a dense underfur, ranging in color from brown to black, and longer guard hairs. Ecol. Front. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sea otter population changes. Session 6: Sea otter conservation, volume 2 Moderator: Jim Bodkin 10:40am Food and energy intake of managed sea otters David Rosen 10:50am The history of monitoring sea otter recovery and conservation George Esslinger 11am Sea otters, seagrass and saltmarshes: past and present Erin Foster 11:10am What drives sea otter population growth and . Jameson, R. J., Kenyon, K. W., Johnson, A. M., and Wight, H. M. (1982). Choice D is the best answer. Although the FWS declared the translocation a failure, it is quite possible that otter numbers at San Nicolas will continue to grow. Consequently, the frequency of large scale surveys in areas such as Southeast Alaska and the Aleutian Islands declined to decadal intervals. Climatic variation alters supply-side ecology: impact of climate patterns on phytoplankton and mussel recruitment. Group of answer choices True False Flag question: Question 2 Question 22.5, Cory watches as her sister Amanda breaks into a parking meter across the street and starts scooping changeinto her purse. /Producer ( Q t 5 . Garshelis, D. L., and Siniff, D. B. However, these land-based predators likely are not having significant population-level effects. For San Nicolas Island (right vertical axis, note scale difference) the trend line (lowest line, in red) represents the annual high counts. Sci. translocation, Washington's sea otter population grew from a founding population estimated to be as few as 10 individuals (10-21%/yr; Jameson et al. Trend lines for the mainland (left vertical axis) are shown as "3-year running averages" of independents (dashed green line) and total otters (solid blue line). Patterns of growth and body condition in sea otters from the Aleutian archipelago before and after the recent population decline. An analysis of sea otters and kelp forests. Sea otters are born swimmers with long, sleek, streamlined bodies with webbed feet. Prog. Conrad, P. A., Kreuder, C., Mazet, J., Dabritz, H., Grigg, M., James, E., et al. 3 0 obj Female sea otters become sexually mature at around four years of age, and males at around five. These aquatic members of the weasel family are often seen floating on their backs. Plant Sci. Thus, the California population, even at its maximum growth rate, never had the potential to expand as fast as populations in more complex habitats. From 1965 to 1990, seven sea otter translocations were made into historically occupied habitat, resulting in five self-sustaining populations. Gelatt, T. S. (1996). A highly skilled and detail-oriented GIS Technician with a background in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and a passion for geospatial technology and data analysis. (2009). doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.10.016. J. Arch. doi: 10.1890/15-0158.1, Rathbun, G. B., Hatfield, B. Several remnant populations of sea otters survived in the Aleutian Islands following the maritime fur trade. Herrick, Jr, and Hanan, D. (1988). doi: 10.1038/nclimate1944, Atwood, T. B., Connolly, R. M., Ritchie, E. G., Lovelock, C. E., Heithaus, M. R., Hays, G. C., et al. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065435, Springer, A. M., Estes, J. (1990). Sci. A., and Kenyon, K. W. (1978). (2009). (Theresa Soley/KTOO) John Ryan lives in Hollis, on Prince of Wales Island. xYkE@i`fj|DIl0sozu3m>N'\Wl\?nn&g;6`vWKMv;s9c7Y[3jcGMgVk5OUmPW5:2ayQ6WN[l Bigg, M. A., and MacAskie, I. A., Estes, J. Females move freely among these territories, but any female within a territory will be investigated for sexual receptivity. Open-File Report Presumably the increase in attacks on sea otters has co-occurred with the expansion of the elephant seal population both in terms of population size and geographic range along the coast. Sea otters reestablished in British Columbia. Measurements of species composition, size distribution and population densities in these various habitats allow us to look at trends over time. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Open Fish Sci. The maritime fur trade in the late 18th and 19th centuries decimated and fragmented the sea otter population that once extended around the North Pacific Rim from northern Japan to central Baja California in Mexico. 56, 701703. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) declared the species endangered in most of its range. Worksheet completed alongside the hhmi BioInteractive movie: Some Animals Are More Equal than Others: Keystone Species and Trophic Cascades. The declining mainland counts since 2017 could be due to increased mortality from shark bites and other causes such as harmful algal blooms and disease. Their hind feet are webbed to aid in swimming, and their front toes are short and stiff. Sea otters need to conserve energy, which means that uninterrupted rest is an important part their well-being. D. Because of their high metabolic rate and food consumption, sea otter populations near carrying capacity often are on the edge of starvation, so any change in the prey base due to environmental factors or disease could have an immediate and possibly detrimental effect. Although sea otters are often referred to as an upper trophic level predator, they are not always at the apex. obs.). doi: 10.2307/3800973. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1635156100, Stewart, N. L., Konar, B., and Tinker, M. T. (2015). Foraging efforts of more than 10 h day-1 (>40% of daily activity budget) may indicate that a population is approaching an equilibrium density, although it depends on the productivity and prey availability of the habitat. Why do you think sea otters have done better in Washington State than in other areas, such as Oregon and Northern Mexico, where the animals once lived? Expanding kelp and seagrass beds enhance carbon storage (Wilmers et al., 2012; Schmitz et al., 2014; Atwood et al., 2015) and coastline protection from waves and storm surge (Arkema et al., 2013; Atwood and Hammill, 2018). endobj Sea otters are polygamous, meaning they mate with more than one partner throughout their lifetime. Despite these successful translocations, 4,000 linear km of historically occupied habitat remains unoccupied (Figure 2). Sea otters are a keystone predator because they can have significant direct and indirect effects on nearshore ecosystems (Estes and Palmisano, 1974; Estes and Duggins, 1995). Oecologia 177, 645655. New technology is needed to overcome these tagging limitations. Currently, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service identifies the Southwest Alaska sea otter stock as a single Distinct Population Segment (DPS, U.S. The average adult sea otter must eat 20 to 30 percent of its body mass in food each day just to meet its energy requirements. /Type /Catalog -;I%bo[Qg. Sea otters are one of the few mammal species that are known to use tools like rocks to hunt and eat food. The success of the translocations to Southeast Alaska, British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state helped mitigate declines in the Aleutian Islands. 8 0 obj 71, 20342044. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) listed the southern sea otter population as threatened under theEndangered Species Act (ESA)in 1977 and adopted a recovery plan for the population in 1982, which was updated in 2003. What would you do? Southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) - Recovery Plan. Seascapes of fear: evaluating sublethal predator effects experienced and generated by marine mammals. Sea otters have a high metabolism. Course Hero member to access this document, Lia_Rudisill_-_1_extracted_Homeostasis_Population_Graphs_CC.pdf, Copy of Population Trends - Group Collaboration Form.pdf, 459F3086-450C-4285-BF3B-B97159FE769F.jpeg, B3D9BE94-7A76-4810-9325-F6E745985E3B.jpeg, Sam Barlow High School BIOLOGY Honors Bio, Sunrise Mountain High School PRE-AP BIOLOGY H 12259, South Pasadena Senior High SCIENCE 101 PG. Study 30, 4151. doi: 10.2307/3801061, Estes, J. Washington, DC: U.S. Webinar for K-12 educators: "Sea Otters and People.". Sea otter feeding on a California sea cucumber (Apostichopus californicus). Microsatellite DNA and MtDNA variation in remnant and translocated sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations. Teacher Resources. Official websites use .gov B. doi: 10.1242/jeb.02767, Keywords: sea otter, population, density, littoral, monitoring, translocation, fisheries, predation, Citation: Davis RW, Bodkin JL, Coletti HA, Monson DH, Larson SE, Carswell LP and Nichol LM (2019) Future Directions in Sea Otter Research and Management. SL wrote Question 5. Sea otters do well in captivity and can be found in many. Express the amount as a multiple of the imported population and as a percentage. Sea otters may homogenize mussel-beds and reduce habitat provisioning in a rocky intertidal ecosystem. At least two different but complementary perspectives provide justification and guidance for the long-term study and monitoring of sea otter populations and the nearshore food web where they reside. Coast. How are sea otters using estuarine habitats and prey resources? J. Mamm. /Height 105 However, genetic variability is highest in the Southeast Alaska population, which was created by translocations from two widely separated source populations including Prince William Sound and Amchitka Island (Jameson et al., 1982; Larson et al., 2002a). The sea otter spends most of its time in the water but, in some locations, comes ashore to sleep or rest. With no more otters to eat them, the sea urchins, which eat the q"4\$j$\F,p1*'H`q $UU` FH'[TzVe6sQ=^)f}Ak A., Tinker, M. T., Johnson, A. Kuluk Bay is on an open coast, so sea otters there are exposed to killer whales. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the current southern sea otter population averages around 3,000 individuals and contributes to the health of coastal kelp forests and estuaries. Status of translocated sea otters at San Nicolas Island, California. Letter to FWS regarding the draft revised stock assessment report for the southern sea otter, Letter to FWSwith comments on the 2016 draft stock assessment report for the southern sea otter, Letter to FWS regarding an Application from California Department of Fish and Wildlife-Central Region to take southern sea otters incidental to construction activities in association with a tidal marsh restoration project in Elkhorn Slough, California, Letter to FWS regarding revised stock assessment report for the Southern sea otter. the documents to your computer and open them with Adobe Reader. J. Wildl. Ser. doi: 10.1111/j.2006.0030-1299.14443.x, Heithaus, M. R., Frid, A., Wirsing, A. J., and Worm, B. (2017). California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) Census Results, Spring 2019. The threat to the southern sea otter posed by oil spills prompted . Van Wormer, E., Miller, M. A., Conrad, P. A., Grigg, M. E., Rejmanek, D., and Carpenter, T. E. (2014). J. Zool. NPS/SWAN/NRR2011/397. Transmission of toxoplasma: clues from the study of sea otters as sentinels of Toxoplasma gondii flow into the marine environment. Trends Ecol. Sea otter population associated with an island or island complex or location: 10s to 100 km: . 59, 385401. doi: 10.1890/14-0492.1, Mazzillo, F. F. M., Shapiro, K., and Silver, M. W. (2013). Protocol Narrative for Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Monitoring in the Gulf of Alaska: Version 1.1. endobj Considering (1) that the 2000 How can you back up. Deep-Sea Res. They can swim on their backs easily, and their muscular tail helps them steer and swim. J. Wildl. Activity-time budgets of sea otters in California. Interior Department Fish and Wildlife Service, Vol. Experiment: Are fingerprint patterns inherited? doi: 10.1038/nclimate2763, Atwood, T. B., and Hammill, E. (2018). Mortality from shark attacks of otters has been more frequent at the northern and southern extremes of populations range and may be a factor in preventing or slowing range expansion of the population into seemingly suitable habitats. Where would you go? Manage. The conservation and management of sea otters has benefited from a dedicated research effort over the past 60 years enabling this species to recover from a few thousand in the early 20th century to about 150,000 today. At some point, a population may approach an equilibrium density or carrying capacity, although it is not necessarily stable and may fluctuate inter-annually, decadally or over longer time scales depending on other factors (e.g., disease, predation). Spanned the entire northern Pacific Rim from southern California to areas of Japan species hunted to extinction... Than one partner throughout their lifetime brown to black, and Bodkin, J. L. 2009. 2, and Hammill, E. ( 2018 ) some Animals are Equal... 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M., Fleming, M., and their muscular tail them... Safely connected to the land-parasite Toxoplasma gondii and Worm, B polygamous, meaning mate. By marine mammals ; 2 referred to as an upper Trophic level predator, they are not at! Of success Wales Island Glacier Bay, Alaska pups are born well-developed with their eyes open, thick! Central California coastline Rathbun, G. B., and Siniff, D. L., and Hanan, D..... Like flippers to near extinction can be assessed Kenyon, K. W. ( 1978 ) its range otter density! Decadal intervals success of the fundamental tools for conserving and managing natural resources and Wight, H. M. ( )., L. M., Fleming, M. A., Ricca, M. R., Frid, A. and! Posed by oil spills prompted remnant and translocated sea otter spends most their. Doi: 10.1038/nclimate2763, Atwood, T. B., and Washington state helped mitigate declines in the Aleutian archipelago and. Population-Level effects few mammal species that are known to use tools like rocks hunt! 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Spanned the entire northern Pacific Rim from southern California to areas of Japan.gov...Gov website to look at trends over time. otter feeding on a sea! Otters as sentinels of Toxoplasma gondii flow into the marine environment an part. And MtDNA variation in remnant and translocated sea otter population in southwest Alaska has declined an... May homogenize mussel-beds and reduce habitat provisioning in a rocky Intertidal ecosystem southwest...