Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem
A JOURNEY BEGINS WHAT DOES A PLAYFUL SEA OTTER HAVE TO DO WITH FLOWERING SEAGRASS THAT GROWS UNDERWATER While they share an ocean home one is a mammal and the other is a plant One eats crabs and fish The other uses photosynthesis to make food One frolics in the sea The other sways to an underwater rhythm But in fact a critical link between the two exists a link that marine biologist Brent Hughes found completely by accident Finding that connection solved a scientific mystery that Brent had almost given up on From a young age Brent enjoyed figuring out the how and why of marine life I had only visited the ocean a handful of times as a kid said Brent who grew up in Kansas more than 1,000 miles 1,609 kilometers from the nearest ocean But I spent a lot of time near the Great Lakes I was drawn to Scientists Brent Hughes right and Lilian Carswell motor up the Elkhorn Slough Brent relied on Lilian’s sea otter expertise during his research
Sea otters usually forage in the morning and evening and rest in the middle of the day Rest time includes grooming Well-groomed fur traps air between its layers to keep otters warm in cold water water and was always out in nature exploring and trying to catch fish worms and insects After studying biology in college Brent traveled to the Oregon coast for graduate school There he discovered the Pacific Ocean’s intertidal zones areas close to shore where the tides wash in and out Brent describes intertidal zones as a beautiful mosaic of habitats They are home to a diverse community of plants and animals he says They provide the food and a place to live Intertidal zones benefit people in several ways too such as protecting the coastline from rough weather Brent’s curiosity kicked into gear He had to know more about these fascinating environments 5
As he continued his graduate studies Brent focused on one specific intertidal area called Elkhorn Slough pronounced slew an inlet of Monterey Bay in Northern California The long narrow slough is an estuary where freshwater from nearby creeks and rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean Pelicans harbor seals and sea otters thrive Thick meadows of seagrass grow among the sand and rocks below the surface The twisting slough borders the farms of the Salinas Valley which grow acres and acres of strawberries artichokes brussels sprouts lettuce celery tomatoes spinach and broccoli Known as America’s Salad Bowl the valley produces most of the United States salad greens Many of these fields are only steps from the water and they have a direct effect on the health of the slough Elkhorn Slough is one of the most nutrient polluted estuaries on the planet Brent says Sea otters sleep eat and groom while floating at the water’s surface Pickers with large bags strapped to their backs harvest vegetables on a Salinas Valley farm 6
Farmers spray chemical fertilizers on crops Farmers spray chemical fertilizers on crops to help them grow strong and fight off to help them grow strong and fight off disease Then rain and regular watering rinses disease Then rain and regular watering rinses the fertilizer off the plants and into nearby streams rivers and eventually the ocean This runoff contaminates the waterways with extremely high levels of nutrients which can disrupt the balance of marine ecosystems the plants and animals in a habitat Brent discovered that Elkhorn Slough didn’t react like most nutrient-polluted waters Usually the excess nutrients encourage large amounts of algae to grow The algae coat each blade of seagrass and prevent the grass from performing photosynthesis Without photosynthesis the seagrass can’t grow and reproduce so it dies And because of the important roles seagrass plays in the environment our air quality coastlines and fishing industry suffer But the seagrass in the slough was healthy and lush and green Brent says It didn’t make sense but it was fascinating This seagrass thrived and in theory it should not In Elkhorn Slough seagrass floats just below the surface of the water The healthy bright green color surprised Brent Why did the seagrass flourish Brent was determined to find out But his journey to discovery would zigzag like the slough itself requiring crafty detective work the scientific method and a smidgen of luck 7
