Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5047
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5047
Sponsored by: U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center,
National Park Service Alaska Regional Office, and Glacier Bay National Park
and Preserve
Edited by John F. Piatt and Scott M. Gende
Glacier Bay was established as a National Monument in 1925, in part to protect its unique character and natural beauty, but also to create a natural laboratory to examine evolution of the glacial landscape. Today, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is still a place of profound natural beauty and dynamic landscapes. It also remains a focal point for scientific research and includes continuing observations begun decades ago of glacial processes and terrestrial ecosystems. In recent years, research has focused on glacial-marine interactions and ecosystem processes that occur below the surface of the bay. In October 2004, Glacier Bay National Park convened the fourth in a series of science symposiums to provide an opportunity for researchers, managers, interpreters, educators, students and the general public to share knowledge about Glacier Bay. The Fourth Glacier Bay Science Symposium was held in Juneau, Alaska, rather than at the Park, reflecting a desire to maximize attendance and communication among a growing and diverse number of stakeholders interested in science in the park.
More than 400 people attended the symposium. Participants provided 46 oral presentations and 41 posters covering a wide array of disciplines including geology, glaciology, oceanography, wildlife and fisheries biology, terrestrial and marine ecology, socio-cultural research and management issues. A panel discussion focused on the importance of connectivity in Glacier Bay research, and keynote speakers (Gary Davis and Terry Chapin) spoke of long-term monitoring and ecological processes. These proceedings include 56 papers from the symposium. A summary of the Glacier Bay Science Plan— itself a subject of a meeting during the symposium and the result of ongoing discussions between scientists and resource managers—also is provided.
We hope these proceedings illustrate the diversity of completed and ongoing scientific studies, conducted within the Park. To this end, we invited all presenters to submit brief technical summaries of their work, to capture the gist of their study and its main findings without an overload of details and methodology. We also asked authors to include a few words on the management implications of their work to help bridge the gap between scientists and managers in understanding how specific research questions may translate to management practice. Papers in this volume are laid out by subject matter, from terrestrial and freshwater subjects to glacial-marine geology, to the ecology of marine animals and ending with risk assessment, human impacts and science-management considerations. In summary, we hope the proceedings will serve as a useful reference to completed and ongoing studies in Glacier Bay National Park, and thereby provide park enthusiasts, scientists, and managers with a road map of scientific progress.
John Piatt and Scott Gende
Editors
Foreword
Welcome
Acknowledgments
Agents of Change in Freshwater and Terrestrial Environments
Ecological Development of the Wolf Point Creek Watershed; A 25-Year Colonization Record from 1977 to 2001, Alexander M. Milner, Kieran Monaghan, Elizabeth A. Flory, Amanda J. Veal, and Anne Robertson
Coupling Between Primary Terrestrial Succession and the Trophic Development of Lakes at Glacier Bay, D.R. Engstrom and S.C. Fritz
Spruce Beetle Epidemic and Successional Aftermath in Glacier Bay, Mark Schultz and Paul Hennon
Preliminary Assessment of Breeding-Site Occurrence, Microhabitat, and Sampling of Western Toads in Glacier Bay, Sanjay Pyare, Robert E. Christensen III, and Michael J. Adams
Effects of Moose Foraging on Soil Nutrient Dynamics in the Gustavus Forelands, Alaska, Eran Hood, Amy Miller, and Kevin White
Ecology of Moose on the Gustavus Forelands: Population Irruption, Nutritional Limitation, and Conservation Implications, Kevin S. White, Neil Barten, and John Crouse
The Cultural Ecology of Berries in Glacier Bay, Thomas F. Thornton
Glacial-Marine Geology and Climate Change
Geologic Characteristics of Benthic Habitats in Glacier Bay, Alaska, Derived from Geophysical Data, Videography, and Sediment Sampling, Jodi Harney, Guy Cochrane, Lisa Etherington, Pete Dartnell, and Hank Chezar
Assessing Contemporary and Holocene Glacial and Glacial-Marine Environments, David C. Finnegan, Daniel E. Lawson, and Sarah E. Kopczynski
High Frequency Climate Signals in Fjord Sediments of Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, Ellen A. Cowan and Ross D. Powell
Geology and Oral History—Complementary Views of a Former Glacier Bay Landscape, Daniel Monteith, Cathy Connor, Gregory Streveler, and Wayne Howell
Early to Mid-Holocene Glacier Fluctuations in Glacier Bay, Alaska, Daniel E. Lawson, David C. Finnegan, Sarah E. Kopczynski, and Susan R. Bigl
Post Little Ice Age Rebound in the Glacier Bay Region, Roman J. Motyka, Christopher F. Larsen, Jeffrey T. Freymueller, and Keith A. Echelmeyer
Documenting More than a Century of Glacier Bay Landscape Evolution with Historical Photography, Bruce F. Molnia, Ronald D. Karpilo, Jr., and Harold S. Pranger
Animating Repeat Glacier Photography—A Tool for Science and Education, Ronald D. Karpilo, Jr., Bruce F. Molina, and Harold S. Pranger
Physical and Biological Patterns in the Marine Environment
Glacier Bay Seafloor Habitat Mapping and Classification—First Look at Linkages with Biological Patterns, Lisa Etherington, Guy Cochrane, Jodi Harney, Jim Taggart, Jennifer Mondragon, Alex Andrews, Erica Madison, Hank Chezar, and Jim de la Bruere
Physical and Biological Oceanographic Patterns in Glacier Bay, Lisa L. Etherington, Philip N. Hooge, and Elizabeth R. Hooge
A Transect of Glacier Bay Ocean Currents Measured by Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), Edward D. Cokelet, Antonio J. Jenkins, and Lisa L. Etherington
Spatial Distribution and Abundance of Tanner and Red King Crab Inside and Outside of Marine Reserves in Glacier Bay, Alaska, Jennifer Mondragon, Spencer J. Taggart, Alexander G. Andrews, Julie K. Nielsen, and Jim De Le Bruere
Testing the Effectiveness of a High Latitude Marine Reserve Network: a Multi-Species Movement Study, Alex G. Andrews, S. James Taggart, Jennifer Mondragon, and Julie K. Nielsen
Glacial Fjords in Glacier Bay National Park: Nursery Areas for Tanner Crabs?, Julie K. Nielsen, S. James Taggart, Thomas C. Shirley, Jennifer Mondragon, and Alexander G. Andrews
Ecdysteroid Levels in Glacier Bay Tanner Crab: Evidence for a Terminal Molt, Sherry L. Tamone, S. James Taggart, Alexander G. Andrews, Jennifer Mondragon, and Julie K. Nielsen
Geochemical Signatures as Natural Fingerprints to Aid in Determining Tanner Crab Movement in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, Bronwen Wang, Robert R. Seal, S. James Taggart, Jennifer Mondragon, Alex Andrews, Julie Nielsen, James G. Crock, and Gregory A. Wandless
Distribution of Forage Fishes in Relation to the Oceanography of Glacier Bay, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, John F. Piatt, Marc D. Romano, and David C. Douglas
The Distribution and Abundance of Pacific Halibut in a Recently Deglaciated Fjord: Implications for Marine Reserve Design, Jennifer Mondragon, Lisa L. Etherington, S. James Taggart, and Philip N. Hooge
Preliminary Analysis of Sockeye Salmon Colonization in Glacier Bay Inferred from Genetic Methods, Christine Kondzela and A. J. Gharrett
Populations and Marine Ecology of Birds and Mammals
Temporal and Spatial Variability in Distribution of Kittlitz’s Murrelet in Glacier Bay, Marc D. Romano, John F. Piatt, Gary S. Drew, and James L. Bodkin
First Successful Radio-Telemetry Study of Kittlitz’s Murrelet: Problems and Potential, Marc D. Romano, John F. Piatt, and Harry R. Carter
Distribution and Abundance of Kittlitz’s Murrelets Along the Outer Coast of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Michelle Kissling, Kathy Kuletz, and Steve Brockmann
Population Status and Trends of Marine Birds and Mammals in Glacier Bay National Park, Gary S. Drew, John F. Piatt, and James Bodkin
Perspectives on an Invading Predator: Sea Otters in Glacier Bay, James L. Bodkin, B.E. Ballachey, G.G. Esslinger, K.A. Kloecker, D.H. Monson, and H.A. Coletti
Declines in a Harbor Seal Population in a Marine Reserve, Glacier Bay, Alaska, 1992–2002, Elizabeth A. Mathews and Grey W. Pendleton
Harbor Seal Research in Glacier Bay National Park, Gail M. Blundell, Scott M. Gende, and Jamie N. Womble
Population Trends, Diet, Genetics, and Observations of Steller Sea Lions in Glacier Bay National Park, Tom Gelatt, Andrew W. Trites, Kelly Hastings, Lauri Jemison, Ken Pitcher, and Greg O’Corry-Crowe
Ecosystem Models of the Aleutian Islands and Southeast Alaska Show that Steller Sea Lions are Impacted by Killer Whale Predation when Sea Lion Numbers are Low, Sylvie Guénette, Sheila J.J. Heymans, Villy Christensen, and Andrew W. Trites
Killer Whale Feeding Ecology and Non-Predatory Interactions with other Marine Mammals in the Glacier Bay Region of Alaska, Dena R. Matkin, Janice M. Straley, and Christine M. Gabriele
Age at First Calving of Female Humpback Whales in Southeastern Alaska, Christine M. Gabriele, Janice M. Straley, and Janet L. Neilson
Risk Assessment and Human Impacts
Landslide-Induced Wave Hazard Assessment: Tidal Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, Gerald F. Wieczorek, Eric L. Geist, Matthias Jakob, Sandy L. Zirnheld, Ellie Boyce, Roman J. Motyka, and Patricia Burns
Glacier Bay Underwater Soundscape, Blair Kipple and Chris Gabriele
Underwater Noise from Skiffs to Ships, Blair Kipple and Chris Gabriele
Vessel Use and Activity in Glacier Bay National Park’s Outer Waters, C. Soiseth, J. Kroese, R. Libermann, and S. Bookless
Causes and Costs of Injury in Trapped Dungeness Crabs, Julie S. Barber and Katie E. Lotterhos
The Diffusion of Fishery Information in a Charter Boat Fishery: Guide-Client Interactions in Gustavus, Alaska, Jason R. Gasper, Marc L. Miller, Vincent F. Gallucci, and Chad Soiseth
Simulating the Effects of Predation and Egg-harvest at a Gull Colony, Stephani Zador and John F. Piatt
Huna Tlingit Gull Egg Harvests in Glacier Bay National Park, Eugene S. Hunn, Darryll R. Johnson, Priscilla N. Russell, and Thomas F. Thornton
Ground-Nesting Marine Bird Distribution and Potential for Human Impacts in Glacier Bay, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Marc D. Romano, and John F. Piatt
Bear-Human Conflict Risk Assessment at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Tom Smith, Terry D. Debruyn, Tania Lewis, Rusty Yerxa, and Steven T. Partridge
Humpback Whale Entanglement in Fishing Gear in Northern Southeastern Alaska, Janet L. Neilson, Christine M. Gabriele, and Janice M. Straley
Distribution and Numbers of Back Country Visitors in Glacier Bay National Park, 1996-2003, Mary L. Kralovec, Allison H. Banks, and Hank Lentfer
Wilderness Camp Impacts: Assessment of Human Effects on the Shoreline of Glacier Bay, Tania M. Lewis, Nathanial K. Drumheller, and Allison H. Banks
Science and Management
1,500 Kilometers of Shoreline Resource Information: Glacier Bay’s Coastal Resources Inventory and Mapping Program, Lewis C. Sharman, Bill Eichenlaub, Phoebe B.S. Vanselow, Jennifer C. Burr, and Whitney Rapp
Conceptual Ecosystem Models for Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Christopher L. Fastie and Chiska C. Derr
Toward an Integrated Science Plan for Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve: Results from a Workshop, 2004, J.L. Bodkin and S.L. Boudreau
Peripheral Vision as an Adjunct to Rigor, Greg Steveler
Tributes
The Legacy of W.O. Field in Glacier Bay, C. Suzanne Brown
A Tribute to Don Lawrence, Greg Streveler
This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.
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Send questions or comments about this report to the editor, John F. Piatt, (360) 774-0516.
For more information about USGS activities in Alaska, visit the USGS USGS Alaska Water Science Center home page.
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