2018). We used the overexploitation, recovery and subsequent collapse of sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations in t Leaks in the energy-generating parts of muscle cells help otters maintain a resting metabolism three times as fast as predicted for a creature their size, researchers report in the July 9 Science. Since then, conservation efforts have allowed the otters to rebound somewhat, but some 2,500 miles (4,000km) of coastline in their historic range is still devoid of the furry mammals. A new study shows how the high metabolism of adult and baby sea otters begins at the cellular level. Bald Eagles depend on nearshore marine communities for most of their prey in this ecosystem, so we predicted that the recent decline in otter populations would have an indirect negative effect on diets and demography of Bald Eagles. Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Then, using a device called a respirometer, researchers measured otter muscle cells respiratory capacity in different states of oxygen flow compared with other animals including humans, Iditarod sled dogs and elephant seals. At locations where sea otters were present and sea urchins rare, the lower limits of giant kelp forests extended 3.7 times deeper than they did at locations without sea otters. 1982, Estes and Duggins 1995, Watson and Estes 2011, Burt et al. Instead of roving about and attacking the holdfasts that anchor living kelp to the rocky ocean floor, creating urchin barrens, fearful sea urchins adopt a sit-and-wait strategy, hiding in deep crevices and eating only those pieces of kelp that break off and drift down. It was 1742. That means it's pulling carbon from the atmosphere faster than a slower growing plant (though kelp is technically an alga). DOI and the bureaus do not guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act. The 1969 blowout of Union Oil's Platform A off the coast of Santa Barbara sparked the modern environmental movement, leading to the passage of several crucial pieces of federal legislation, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). A. Estes, C.A. These slugs and snails often don't eat the seagrass; instead they scrape away the algae that grows on the grass, which allows the seagrass to absorb more sunlight and grow more efficiently. This can be done in a creative and captivating way, leaving audiences with one or two main take away points. Not only can a wider audience be reached, but speakers from throughout the world can participate. For the survey, 224 people participated out of a potential of 364 viewers (61.4%). Our field studies were conducted in the early 1990s, Baby otters dont yet have the muscle mass to stay warm through these leaks, but their muscle cells generate heat at adult rates, the researchers found, showing that proton leak begins early. She delights in all things creeping, crawling and curious, and studies human-dog coevolution as an anthropology Ph.D. student at Washington State University. The events are designed to directly align with the Aquariums mission, to inspire conservation of the marine environment. Questions or comments on this article? Sea urchins even stick around after slashing through kelp beds. But to understand the sea otters relationship with abalone, and with other organisms in the nearshore marine communities of the North Pacific Ocean, we need to go back in time. Climate change-amplified temperature anomalies pose an imminent threat to coral reef ecosystems. Effects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill How sea otters can fight climate change - BBC Future Metabolism describes how food gets converted into energy in cells. Overall, indirect effects of temperature via changes in viscosity were subtle in comparison to the indirect effect of temperature via trophic interactions. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions. When present, sea otters eat so many urchins that the invertebrate's population stays low. | (206) 543-6521, 2023 University of Washington | googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1449240174198-2'); }); A new study by two UC Santa Cruz researchers suggest that a thriving sea otter population that keeps sea urchins in check will in turn allow kelp forests to prosper. Many of the participants equated the term climate change negatively (i.e. That's more carbon than that emitted from a million passenger cars for a year. Do trophic cascades affect the storage and flux of atmospheric carbon These include increasing or decreasing prey, changing competitive abilities, shifting feeding rates and altering trophic cascades. Sea otters eat sea urchins, resulting in large healthy kelp forests and high pet primary productivity. Kelp, urchins, carbon, indigenous participation, and reintroduction are part of the answer. disaster), and due to their own self reporting of knowledge, many were relatively well-versed in what climate change is. An adult male sea otter weighing 34 kg provides 61,540 kcal (34,000 gm 1.81 kcal gm -1 of wet weight); a 23-kg adult female otter provides 41,630 kcal. In 2020, echoing language of the MMPA, the U.S. Congress recognized that sea otters play a critical ecological role in the marine environment as a keystone species that significantly affects the structure structure Something temporarily or permanently constructed, built, or placed; and constructed of natural or manufactured parts including, but not limited to, a building, shed, cabin, porch, bridge, walkway, stair steps, sign, landing, platform, dock, rack, fence, telecommunication device, antennae, fish cleaning table, satellite dish/mount, or well head. "I felt like I had learned something that was fairly remarkable.". Quantifying the effect of otters might help ease some of the impacts to fisheries. Digging would have stimulated sexual reproduction and increased seed set, an interaction that unraveled with otter extirpation. webs. eCollection 2018 Aug. Her work has appeared in Audubon, Sierra, Discover, and elsewhere. (C) duration (sec) Otter Water J2 J1 B7 B9 M3 D4 B8 4 8 8 12 12 16 20 y 63 75 84 91 101 110 115 We want to determine if water temperature is useful The herbivorous urchins then basically clear cut the kelp, chewing through the holdfasts at their base and sending the rest of the giant algae to wash away. 1991 Aug;33(4):395-453. doi: 10.1080/15287399109531537. www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/110176, Journal information: This has provided a natural gradient of sea otter occupation time across 20 different sites that allowed us to examine the direct and indirect effects of sea otter recovery. "If ecologists can get a better handle on what these impacts are, there might be opportunities for win-win conservation scenarios, whereby animal species are protected or enhanced, and carbon gets sequestered," he said. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification are compounding the damage. The population off Big Sur was the most isolated of all of these, separated from any other surviving sea otters by about 2,000 miles. Otters Show How Predators Can Blunt Climate Damage But owners were still stressed and lonely. Direct effects can be thought of as any change to prey availability via sea otter predation directly, while indirect effects can be thought of an any alteration to the broader ecosystem (i.e. How Do Ocean Currents Affect Inland Weather? | Sciencing Reisewitz, S. E., J. In 2017 his team resurveyed the reefs status across the Aleutian archipelago and discovered that some had shrunk precipitously in just three years. 2019 Mar 20;5(3):eaav1139. Is that sea otter stealing your lunch -- or making it? Sea otters also play a singular role in supporting kelp forests ecosystems in the North Pacific. Many of the changes will occur as a direct result of predation by sea otters; other changes will result from indirect or cascading effects of sea otter foraging, such as increasing kelp production and modified prey availability for other nearshore predators. J Toxicol Environ Health. The most widely studied and well-known pathway is from sea otters to herbivorous macroinvertebrates (primarily urchins) to kelp and other macroalgae (Estes and Palmisano 1974, Duggins 1980, Breen et al. Sea otters stay warm thanks to leaky mitochondria in their muscles subsequent decline in sea otter populations in the central Aleutian Archipelago. In the late 1980s, the Service translocated 140 sea otters to San Nicolas Island, off Southern California. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 4. Chapter 5: Ecosystem Effects of Sea Otters - Elakha Alliance Society for Science & the Public 20002023. Although abalone are a favorite prey item, they make up only a small proportion of the diet of the sea otter population overall, the remainder consisting of several dozen species of marine invertebrates, including many kinds of crabs, clams, sea urchins, mussels, chitons, octopuses, sea stars, and marine worms. Oecologia. Omissions? Registration occurred through the Seattle Aquarium website, and was advertised in multiple ways (facebook ads, Seattle Aquarium members, staff and volunteers, UW SMEA department listserv, UW PCC listserv, etc). The talks are catered to a wide range of ages and no science background is required. Because of the high rate of uptake of atmospheric CO2, it has been hypothesized that sea otters might increase the rate You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. The .gov means its official. Rocks are typically used to break open crabs and other shellfish, whereas sea urchins are crushed with the forefeet and teeth. The author granted permission for the file to be printed and for the text to be copied and pasted. Breen et al. Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). are a small mammal in the weasel family. "They miraculously don't eat the seagrass," says Hughes. So what you would expect to happen with the loss of a species in the absence of climate change is not whats going to happen with the loss of that species in the presence of climate change . And this paper is the holy grail of showing that interaction.. Our mission is to provide accurate, engaging news of science to the public. For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines). The biologist collects the following data: Dive temp. After the event, there were >1,000 views of the YouTube video within 12 hours. sea otter, (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, completely marine otter species of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floating on its back, it opens mollusks by smashing them on a stone balanced on its chest. Read about my event of short engaging lightning talks in fulfillment of the UW PCC Graduate Certificate in Climate Science. Rogers-Bennett, L . If only 1% of kelp between the Aleutians and Vancouver Island is stowed away in the deep sea, that's still enough to offset the emissions of 100,000 combustion-powered automobiles. If the value of otter carbon banking is recognised by our human banks, maybe the mustelids will soon swim across more reefs and estuaries fighting climate change while they're at it. Otters' indirect effects on coastal ecosystems can also follow pathways other than the otter-urchin-kelp trophic cascade. The Service aims to be inclusive, thoughtful, and scientifically rigorous as we consider actions to support sea otter recovery and ecosystem restoration now and in the future. Indirect effects of sea otter recovery on temperate reef fish, Graduating extended essay / Research project, Resource and Environmental Management Theses. Even before the sea otter effect was studied, kelp has been thought of as a possible climate solution. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZmiqJ12Mms. eCollection 2019 Mar. At the beginning and end of the event, I conducted a survey using PollEverywhere to learn more about the audience and to gauge the effectiveness of our climate communication. By the submission of this blog, there were 1,336 views. Vol 373, July 9, 2021, p. 223. doi: 10.1126/science.abf4557. And the insulating properties of sea otters fur the densest on the planet cant fully protect them from losing too much heat. Sea otters help ecosystems capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it as biomass and deep-sea detritus, preventing it from being converted back to carbon dioxide and contributing to climate change. Sea Otters To Combat Climate Change? | PlanetSave (1977a) identified several interaction web pathways by which sea otters might influence the behavior and population biology of kelp forest fishes, including direct "When we help restore missing keystone predators, we make things right in a lot of ways before we even recognise what some of those ways are," Lilian Carswell, the southern sea otter recovery coordinator for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, wrote in an email to the BBC. This could be a game changer in terms of how we think about the evolution of all marine mammals, not just sea otters, says Terrie Williams, an ecophysiologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was not involved in the study. They have mostly done so by exposing a single species to warmer temperatures and/or higher acidity and recording how it responds, however. To communicate the science behind these concepts to a wide and diverse audience, I hosted a virtual Lightning Talk event with my employer, the Seattle Aquarium. Wilmers, Estes, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and their co-authors, combined 40 years of data on otters and kelp bloom from Vancouver Island to the western edge of Alaska's Aleutian Islands. Sea otters began slowly and methodically to expand their range to the north and south of Bixby Cove. "A kelp frond that drifts to the seafloor and decomposes, that carbon might be trapped in the sediments for millennia, even millions of years," says Pearson. The video link was shared 53 times. By Lilian Carswell, Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Marine Conservation Coordinator,Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, People traveling on Californias newly built Highway 1 in 1937 saw something astonishing. Its headline proclaimed, The extinct sea otter swims back to life.. Epub 2019 Dec 19.