Gulf of Alaska | Lower Trophic Levels
Assessment of the lower trophic ecosystem along the outer coastal region between Wrangell-St. Elias and Glacier Bay National Parks and Preserves Presenter: Jennifer Questel , jmquestel@alaska.edu, UAF The outer coastal region between Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST) and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA) located in southeast Alaska consists of over 500 km of coastline. The region is home to the largest tidewater and piedmont glaciers in North America, recently deglaciated tidewater fjords, globally significant salmon runs, and marine bird and mammal populations. However, little is known about the coastal processes of this pristine region that is currently experiencing rapid ecological change. During June 2022 the marine environment of three fjord systems (Disenchantment Bay, Icy Bay, and Lituya Bay) and the outer coastal region between WRST and GLBA were surveyed as part of the National Park Service Outer Coast program. Water samples for macronutrients, ocean acidification parameters, and size-fractionated chlorophyll were collected at discrete depths from Niskin bottles on a CTD rosette. Zooplankton communities were sampled over the entire water column with 150- and 505-µm mesh plankton nets. I report on preliminary results for these chemical and lower trophic variables which represent the initial year of sampling for this three-year pilot study. These data, in conjunction with an assortment of interdisciplinary environmental data, will help to establish a baseline for the local ecosystem processes and inform the design of a long-term monitoring program for the region.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 134
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