Project Information

Title: Patterns and Processes of Population Change in Selected Nearshore Vertebrate Predators 030423

Project Year and Number: 2003: 030423

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2002: 02423, 2002: 02423-AM, 2001: 01423, 2000: 00423, 1999: 99423

Principal Investigator (PI): Jim Bodkin (DOI )

Managing Agency: USGS

Assisting Personnel: Brenda Ballachey, Tom Dean, Dan Esler

Research Location: Prince William Sound

Restoration Category: Research

Injured Resources Addressed: Harlequin Ducks, Sea Otters

Abstract: Sea otters and harlequin ducks have not fully recovered from the oil spill, based on population-level demographic differences between oiled and unoiled areas. Further, in oiled areas, both species show elevated cytochrome P4501A, almost certainly reflecting continued exposure to oil. This project is exploring links between oil exposure and the lack of population recovery, with the intent of understanding constraints to full recovery of these species and the nearshore environment generally. The results also serve to monitor the progress of recovery of the species and the system. To date, the work has consisted of field components for both species, and a captive component for harlequin ducks. Proposed activities for FY 03 include (a) the third and final year of harlequin duck field studies quantifying oil exposure and survival of females during winter and (b) closeout of all project components and preparation of the final report.


Proposal: View (183 KB)

Reports:
Final Report: View (11,252 KB)

Publications from this Project: None Available