Summary of July 2013 Summer Field Season Direct and Indirect Effects of Sea Otter Recovery on the Central Coast of British Colum
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Direct and Indirect Effects of Sea Otter Recovery on the Central Coast of British Columbia Summary of July 2013 Summer Field Season Report by Josh Silberg, Leah Honka, Kyle Demes, Jenn Burt and Anne Salomon Coastal Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab School of Resource & Environmental Management (REM) Hakai Network for Coastal People, Ecosystems & Management Simon Fraser University Full Citation: Silberg, J.N., Honka, L., Demes, K.W., Burt, J.M., and Salomon, A.K. 2014. Direct and indirect effects of sea otter recovery on the Central Coast of British Columbia: 2013 Field Report. Coastal Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab. Simon Fraser University School of Resource and Environmental Management. Executive Summary Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are well known to consume large quantities of herbivorous marine invertebrates, thus releasing macroalgae from grazing pressure and allowing kelp beds to flourish. By triggering a cascade of direct and indirect effects, which drive transitions between alternative kelp-depleted and kelp-dominated states, the presence of sea otters can affect both nearshore marine ecosystems and the social systems that depend on them. Sea otter populations along British Columbia’s (BC) Central Coast are growing and expanding their range at a rapid rate. 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. Specifically, we investigated what drives variation in kelp forest and reef fish communities, as well as patterns and drivers of sea otter foraging strategies. Preliminary results support prior research from BC, Alaska, and California that described the relationship between sea otters and sea urchin densities, as well as the association between sea urchin densities and herbivory on kelp. On the Central Coast, sea urchin density declined rapidly in the presence of sea otters until a tipping point was reached at 3 years. Therefore, on average, sea otters transform an urchin barren to a reef devoid of sizeable, conspicuous urchins in approximately 3 years. Contrary to our predictions, there was no evidence for the ensuing indirect relationship between sea otter occupation and overall canopy kelp abundance at the sites sampled, or between sea otter occupancy time and overall kelp bed size. However, the patchiness of kelp beds did decrease rapidly up until 3.1 years of sea otter occupancy time, followed by a period of more gradual decline. Neither hook-and-line fishing nor underwater visual surveys showed evidence that sea otter occupation time was the most important factor in determining reef fish biomass within the kelp forests. However, preliminary analysis showed potential effects of sea otter presence on the isotopic signature (i.e. trophic feeding level) of kelp greenling. This research also was the first study of sea otter foraging habits on the Central Coast of BC. Results were consistent with other studies that showed that urchins provide an initially rich, but relatively short-term food resource for sea otters. Once urchins are depleted, sea otters diversify their diet to include crabs, clams, abalone and mussels. 2 Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Field Crew ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Kelp Forest Monitoring ............................................................................................................................... 10 Project Rationale & Summary ................................................................................................................ 10 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 17 Indirect Effects of Sea Otters on Rocky Reef Fish ..................................................................................... 18 Project Rationale & Summary ................................................................................................................ 18 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 19 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 27 Sea Otter Foraging Observations ................................................................................................................ 28 Project Rationale and Summary .............................................................................................................. 28 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 29 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 42 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................... 28 3 Acknowledgements Thanks to our field crew; Nate Glickman, Evan Henderson, Stewart Humchitt, Patrick Johnson, Britt Keeling, and Angeleen Olson for helping us collect data above and below the water. The skills and expertise of Hakai Beach Institute research staff and collaborators; Midoli Bresch, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Keith Holmes, Wayne Jacob, Keith Jordan, Dawson Korol, Skye McEwan, Erin Rechsteiner, Luba Reshitnyk, Nelson Roberts, Adam Turner, and Rod Wargo greatly improved this research. Many thanks also to HBI kitchen and grounds crew for maintaining a top notch research facility. We also greatly appreciate the intellectual guidance of our research collaborators Linda Nichol from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Dr. Jane Watson from Vancouver Island University. Many thanks to our research collaborators at the Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department, in particular research co-ordinator Harvey Humchitt and aquatics manager Mike Reid, and stewardship manager Peter Johnson from the Wuikinuxv Resource Management Department. Both departments provided important feedback supporting this research and permitted us to conduct research in their traditional territories. Finally, it is with deep gratitude that we thank Eric Peterson and Christina Munck for their steadfast support of this research and instrumental role in making it materialize. Financial support This project was funded by the Tula Foundation and a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant to Anne Salomon. Graduate students Jenn Burt, Leah Honka, and Josh Silberg were funded by NSERC graduate scholarships. Jenn Burt and Josh Silberg were also financially supported as Hakai Scholars. In kind support was provided by REM, SFU and CMEC. 4 Field Crew Kelp Forest Diving Crew Clockwise from top: Dr. Anne Salomon (Principal Investigator), Dr. Kyle Demes (Project Lead), Jenn Burt, Britt Keeling, Stew Humchitt, Evan Henderson 5 Sea Otter Foraging Observation Crew Clockwise from top: Leah Honka (Project Lead), Angeleen Olson, Nate Glickman 6 Impact of Sea Otters on Fish Crew Hakai Beach Institute Crew Clockwise from top: Josh Silberg (Project Lead), Patrick Johnson, Margot Hessing-Lewis (dive/fish/eelgrass crew) HBI: Keith Holmes, Skye McEwan, Wayne Jacob, Nelson Roberts, Dawson Korol, Rod Wargo, Midoli Bresch 7 Introduction In the Northeastern Pacific, from Alaska to California, the recovery of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) has had profound implications for nearshore marine ecosystems and the social systems that depend on them. Sea otters are top predators that feed on a large diversity of marine invertebrates, consuming large quantities of prey items including sea urchins, an invertebrate grazer able to control the spatial extent and productivity of kelp forests. Consequently, the presence of sea otters in nearshore temperate reef systems can trigger a cascade of direct and indirect effects, which drive transitions between alternative kelp-depleted and kelp-dominated states. Studies comparing areas with and without otters suggest that indirect effects of sea otter re-colonization are far-reaching, but to date we have little ability to predict the magnitude and timing of these indirect effects or the thresholds at which they manifest. Depletion of otter prey species such as sea urchins, abalone, and clams has been strongly correlated to Photo Credit: Linda Nichol the duration