Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

04 Nov, 12 AM - 09 Nov, 04 AM

Problem Statement: ?Elevated mortality, especially in prime-age females, is limiting population recovery ?Various forms of terrestrial-based pollution may be contributing to this mortality ?Data are needed on the causal links between specific sources and types of pollution (pathogens and chemical toxins) and population-level impacts We propose to examine the health and ecology of sea otters and their nearshore habitat at an unprecedented level of detail at two locations along the central coast: one a site of high human impact (the south end of Monterey Bay and Monterey Peninsula), the other a site of lower human impact (the central portion of the Big Sur coast). In addition to the contrasting degrees of anthropogenic impact (e.g. urban, industrial and agricultural uses), these two sites represent an ideal comparison for three reasons: 1) both sites contain generally similar benthic habitat and have supported high-density sea otter populations for many years, allowing us to avoid confounding factors such as density-dependent differences in behavior and survival; 2) field studies of sea otters have been conducted in the past at both sites, providing us with historical data sets for temporal contrasts; 3) we and others have existing research programs investigating other components of the coastal ecosystem, including nearshore oceanography, subtidal community composition, water quality, invertebrate contaminant levels, and the effectiveness of beneficial management practices to reduce fecal pollution flowing from land to sea. By partnering with other groups such as PISCO and CCLEAN, we will maximize the quality and quantity of research into factors affecting sea otter and ecosystem health. We will capture and implant radio-transmitters into 40 free-ranging sea otters at each site; collect demographic, behavioral, dietary and life history data from these animals using state-of the-art telemetric methods; measure individual pathogen, biotoxin, and contaminant exposure levels; and perform rigorous necropsies and cause-of-death analyses for all study animals that die during the course of the study. These data will then be combined with similar data available from our previous research projects and integrated with other ecosystem health data from partner organizations. Analyses of our existing data sets have shown that variation with respect to sea otter behavior, diet, location and life history can be used to predict exposure to, and mortality from, certain infectious diseases. We will use multivariate risk-factor analysis to elucidate predictors of infection and mortality. By linking our results with information on the ecology of high-risk prey species, nearshore advection patterns, and pathogen biology, we will identify threats (including possible routes of transmission) having a significant impact on sea otter population recovery and ecosystem health. Additionally we will use the comparative health, survival and reproductive information to forecast the potential effects of improved ocean water quality in more polluted embayment areas on southern sea otter recovery.

Visit #16561 @Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 10767 | Research

Investigating the Consequences of Anthropogenic Stressors for Sea Otter Recovery

research_scientist - University of California, Santa Cruz

Reservation Members(s)

Group of 3 Research Assistant (non-student/faculty/postdoc) Nov 4 - 9, 2008 (6 days)
Tim Tinker Nov 4 - 9, 2008 (6 days)
Group of 2 Undergraduate Student Nov 4 - 9, 2008 (6 days)
Group of 3 Volunteer Nov 4 - 9, 2008 (6 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Whale Point Researcher Cabin 9 Nov 4 - 9, 2008