The Community Ecology Of Sea Otters

Author : Glenn R. VanBlaricom,James A. Estes
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 261 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642728457

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The Community Ecology of Sea Otters by Glenn R. VanBlaricom,James A. Estes Pdf

The impetus for this volume comes from two sources. The first is scientific: by virtue of a preference for certain large benthic invertebrates as food, sea otters have interesting and significant effects on the structure and dynamics of nearshore communities in the North Pacific. The second is political: be cause of the precarious status of the sea otter population in coastal California, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced, in June 1984, a proposal to establish a new population of sea otters at San Nicolas Island, off southern California. The proposal is based on the premise that risks of catastrophic losses of sea otters, due to large oil spills, are greatly reduced by distributing the population among two geographically separate locations. The federal laws of the U.S. require that USFWS publish an Environmental Impact Statement (ElS) regarding the proposed translocation of sea otters to San Nicolas Island. The EIS is intended to be an assessment of likely bio logical, social, and economic effects of the proposal. In final form, the EIS has an important role in the decision of federal management authority (in this case, the Secretary of the Interior of the U.S.) to accept or reject the proposal.

Author : Shawn Larson,James Bodkin,Erin Foster
Publisher : Academic Press
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2024-06-25
Category : Science
ISBN : 044318805X

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Sea Otter Conservation by Shawn Larson,James Bodkin,Erin Foster Pdf

Sea Otter Conservation: Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration, Second Edition offers the most updated and revised ecological knowledge for conserving sea otters and their coastal habitats. As sea otters are good indicators of ocean health, they are also keystone species, offering a stabilizing effect on ecosystems, controlling sea urchin populations that can damage kelp forests, and curbing coastal erosion. This book synthesizes the important relationship between sea otters and conservation of themselves as well as vital marine ecosystems. Written by experts in the field, this book contains two sections that focus first on the latest data, practices, and hands-on research for conserving coastal ecosystems. Sections offer links between sea otter presence and increased kelp, seagrass, and geological conservation, while also focusing specifically on the sea otter and providing up-to-date research, data, and case studies regarding their genetics, habitats, and impacts of climate change.

Author : Randall W. Davis,Anthony M. Pagano
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 366 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2021-07-03
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030667962

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Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters and Polar Bears by Randall W. Davis,Anthony M. Pagano Pdf

Sea otters and polar bears are carnivorous marine mammals that still resemble their terrestrial ancestors. Compared with Cetacea (whales and dolphins), Sirenia (dugongs and manatees), and Pinnipedia (seals, sea lions, and walrus), they are less adapted for an aquatic life and the most recently evolved among marine mammals. Sea otters are amphibious but seldom come ashore, and polar bears primarily occur on sea ice or along the shore. When at sea, both species spend most of their time swimming at the surface or making short, shallow dives when foraging or pursuing prey. Indeed, polar bears rarely pursue seals in water. Nevertheless, polar bears are powerful swimmers and will stalk seals from the water. As with many other large carnivores, they are solitary hunters. Although sea otters are gregarious and form aggregations at sea called rafts, they are primarily asocial. Except during mating, the principal interaction among sea otters occurs between a female and offspring during the six-month dependency period. In large carnivores (e.g., wolves and lions) that feed on ungulates, sociality and cooperation are favored because of the need to capture large prey and defend carcasses. Polar bears, which are the largest terrestrial carnivore, are solitary hunters of seals and are neither gregarious nor social. Males and females briefly associate during courtship and mating. During this time, males aggressively compete for females. At other times, males generally avoid each other except for aggregations of males that form while summering on land, and females with cubs avoid males, which are known for infanticide. As with sea otters, the interaction of polar bears outside of mating occurs between a female and her offspring during the 2-3 year dependency period. This interaction is critically important when altricial cubs are born in the winter den. This book provides new insight into the ethology and behavioral ecology of sea otters and polar bears. Each chapter reviews the discoveries of previous studies and integrates recent research using new techniques and technology. The authors also address historic and current anthropogenic challenges for their survival as climate change alters entire marine ecosystems.

Author : Shawn E. Larson,James L. Bodkin,Glenn R VanBlaricom
Publisher : Academic Press
Page : 468 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2014-12-23
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780128016879

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Sea Otter Conservation by Shawn E. Larson,James L. Bodkin,Glenn R VanBlaricom Pdf

Sea otters are good indicators of ocean health. In addition, they are a keystone species, offering a stabilizing effect on ecosystem, controlling sea urchin populations that would otherwise inflict damage to kelp forest ecosystems. The kelp forest ecosystem is crucial for marine organisms and contains coastal erosion. With the concerns about the imperiled status of sea otter populations in California, Aleutian Archipelago and coastal areas of Russia and Japan, the last several years have shown growth of interest culturally and politically in the status and preservation of sea otter populations. Sea Otter Conservation brings together the vast knowledge of well-respected leaders in the field, offering insight into the more than 100 years of conservation and research that have resulted in recovery from near extinction. This publication assesses the issues influencing prospects for continued conservation and recovery of the sea otter populations and provides insight into how to handle future global changes. Covers scientific, cultural, economic and political components of sea otter conservation Provides guidance on how to manage threats to the sea otter populations in the face of future global changes Highlights the effects that interactions of coastal animals have with the marine ecosystem

Author : Marianne Riedman,James A. Estes
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 136 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 1991
Category : Enhydra
ISBN : PURD:32754061746941

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The Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris) by Marianne Riedman,James A. Estes Pdf

Author : James A. Estes
Publisher : Univ of California Press
Page : 294 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2020-11-10
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780520377493

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Serendipity by James A. Estes Pdf

"Many of the findings in the book . . . are classics of ecology. . . . A rare and delightful insight into timely science."—Jane Lubchenco, Nature "Estes's refreshing narrative deftly weaves rigorous science with personal reflection to create an absorbing and introspective read that is equal parts memoir, ecological textbook, and motivational guidebook for young ecologists."—Science To newly minted biologist James Estes, the sea otters he was studying in the leafy kelp forests off the coast of Alaska appeared to have an unbalanced relationship with their greater environment. Gorging themselves on the sea urchins that grazed among the kelp, these small charismatic mammals seemed to give little back in return. But as Estes dug deeper, he unearthed a far more complex relationship between the otter and its underwater environment, discovering that otters play a critical role in driving positive ecosystem dynamics. While teasing out the connective threads, he began to question our assumptions about ecological relationships. These questions would ultimately inspire a lifelong quest to better understand the surprising complexity of our natural world and the unexpected ways we discover it. Serendipity tells the story of James Estes’s life as a naturalist and the concepts that have driven his interest in researching the ecological role of top-level predators. Using the relationships between sea otters, kelp, and sea urchins as a touchstone, Estes retraces his investigations of numerous other species, ecosystems, and ecological processes in an attempt to discover why ecologists can learn so many details about the systems in which they work and yet understand so little about the broader processes that influence these systems. Part memoir, part natural history, and deeply inquisitive, Serendipity will entertain and inform readers as it raises thoughtful questions about our relationship with the natural world.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 440 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 1987
Category : Electronic
ISBN : NWU:35556036098754

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Southern Sea Otters Translocation (CA,OR) by Anonim Pdf

Author : Tim Tinker,James Estes,James Bodkin,Shawn Larson,Janet Hodder,Mike Murray
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2023-06
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9798987426401

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Restoring Sea Otters to the Oregon Coast by Tim Tinker,James Estes,James Bodkin,Shawn Larson,Janet Hodder,Mike Murray Pdf

Author : Isabelle Groc
Publisher : Orca Book Publishers
Page : 210 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2020-04-07
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 9781459817395

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Sea Otters by Isabelle Groc Pdf

Sea otters once ruled the Pacific Ocean, but the fur trade of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries brought this predator to near extinction. Today they’re slowly coming back from the brink, and scientists are learning more about their pivotal role as one of nature’s keystone species. This book looks at the history, biology, behavior and uncertain future of sea otters. Author and photojournalist Isabelle Groc takes us into the field: watching sea otter rafts off the British Columbia coast from a kayak, exploring what makes their fur coats so special, understanding how their voracious appetites are helping kelp forests thrive and, ultimately, learning how sea otters are leaving their mark (or paws) on every part of the ecosystem. They might be one of the most adorable creatures in the ocean, but kids will discover how their survival is key to a rich, complex and connected ecosystem.

Author : Peggy L. Fiedler,Peter M. Kareiva
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 576 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781461560517

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Conservation Biology by Peggy L. Fiedler,Peter M. Kareiva Pdf

Refecting what a new generation of conservation biologists is doing and thinking, this vital and far ranging second edition explores where conservation biology is heading. It challenges many conventions of conservation biology by exposing certain weaknesses of widely accepted principles. Combining contributions from both the school and the new breed of conservation biologists, this insightful text focuses primarily on topics the are integral to the daily activities of conservation biologists. Several chapters address ecosystem restoration and biotic invasions as well as the the mechanics of population viability analyses, which are now a routine facet of conservation efforts. A case history approach is implemented throughout the book, with the use of practical real-world examples. Furthermore, an in-depth look at quantitative analyses is presented, allowing for models and mathematical analyses to pinpoint limitations in existing data and guide research toward those aspects of biology that are most likely to be critical to the dynamics of a species or an ecosystem.

Author : David R. Schiel,Michael S. Foster
Publisher : Univ of California Press
Page : 416 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2015-05-01
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780520961098

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The Biology and Ecology of Giant Kelp Forests by David R. Schiel,Michael S. Foster Pdf

The largest seaweed, giant kelp (Macrocystis) is the fastest growing and most prolific of all plants found on earth. Growing from the seafloor and extending along the ocean surface in lush canopies, giant kelp provides an extensive vertical habitat in a largely two-dimensional seascape. It is the foundation for one of the most species-rich, productive, and widely distributed ecological communities in the world. Schiel and Foster’s scholarly review and synthesis take the reader from Darwin’s early observations to contemporary research, providing a historical perspective for the modern understanding of giant kelp evolution, biogeography, biology, and physiology. The authors furnish a comprehensive discussion of kelp species and forest ecology worldwide, with considerations of human uses and abuses, management and conservation, and the current and likely future impacts of global change. This volume promises to be the definitive treatise and reference on giant kelp and its forests for many years, and it will appeal to marine scientists and others who want a better appreciation and understanding of these wondrous forests of the sea.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 184 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Endangered species
ISBN : UCSD:31822029513249

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Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis) by Anonim Pdf

Author : Stephen H. Jenkins
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 369 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2015
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780199981045

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Tools for Critical Thinking in Biology by Stephen H. Jenkins Pdf

The American Association for the Advancement of Science's report on Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education suggests that instructors "can no longer rely solely on trying to cover a syllabus packed with topics" but rather should "introduce fewer concepts but present them in greater depth." They further suggest that the principles embodied in a set of core concepts and competencies should be the basis for all undergraduate biology courses, including those designed for nonmajors. The theme of Tools for Critical Thinking in Biology will be the first and most fundamental of these competencies: the ability to apply the process of science. Biology courses and curricula must engage students in how scientific inquiry is conducted, including evaluating and interpreting scientific explanations of the natural world. The book uses diverse examples to illustrate how experiments work, how hypotheses can be tested by systematic and comparative observations when experiments aren't possible, how models are useful in science, and how sound decisions can be based on the weight of evidence even when uncertainty remains. These are fundamental issues in the process of science that are important for everyone to understand, whether they pursue careers in science or not. Where other introductory biology textbooks are organized by scientific concepts, Tools for Critical Thinking in Biology will instead show how methods can be used to test hypotheses in fields as different as ecology and medicine, using contemporary case studies. The book will provide students with a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of such methods for answering new questions, and will thereby change the way they think about the fundamentals of biology.

Author : Lance H. Gunderson,Craig Reece Allen,C. S. Holling
Publisher : Island Press
Page : 496 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2012-07-16
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781610911337

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Foundations of Ecological Resilience by Lance H. Gunderson,Craig Reece Allen,C. S. Holling Pdf

Ecological resilience provides a theoretical foundation for understanding how complex systems adapt to and recover from localized disturbances like hurricanes, fires, pest outbreaks, and floods, as well as large-scale perturbations such as climate change. Ecologists have developed resilience theory over the past three decades in an effort to explain surprising and nonlinear dynamics of complex adaptive systems. Resilience theory is especially important to environmental scientists for its role in underpinning adaptive management approaches to ecosystem and resource management. Foundations of Ecological Resilience is a collection of the most important articles on the subject of ecological resilience—those writings that have defined and developed basic concepts in the field and help explain its importance and meaning for scientists and researchers. The book’s three sections cover articles that have shaped or defined the concepts and theories of resilience, including key papers that broke new conceptual ground and contributed novel ideas to the field; examples that demonstrate ecological resilience in a range of ecosystems; and articles that present practical methods for understanding and managing nonlinear ecosystem dynamics. Foundations of Ecological Resilience is an important contribution to our collective understanding of resilience and an invaluable resource for students and scholars in ecology, wildlife ecology, conservation biology, sustainability, environmental science, public policy, and related fields.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 88 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 1982
Category : Endangered species
ISBN : UCSD:31822010169753

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Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan by Anonim Pdf