Salmon Nutrient Cycling
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Transcript of Salmon Nutrient Cycling
FREEING THE ELWHA
Salmon Nutrient Cycling
Accessing the Terrestrial Ecosystems
FREEING THE ELWHA
FREEING THE ELWHA
Scavengers feed on carcass
Salmon Carcass
Marine-derived nutrients enter soil
Nutrients taken up by vegetation through
roots
Scavenger feces deposited in forest
Scavenger hauls carcass into forest
Herbivores feed on vegetation
Movement of Marine-Derived Nutrients
FREEING THE ELWHA
How a Coyote Helps a Deer
Coyote with a coastal cutthroat trout
FREEING THE ELWHA
Using Markers to Determine Nutrient Origins
O The stable isotope N15 occurs at a higher rate in marine organisms than in freshwater.
O Salmon biomagnify N15 through the trophic levels O Elevated N15 levels in freshwater environments is a sign of it
originating in marine environments.
FREEING THE ELWHA
Using N15 to Trace the Past
By examining the N15 levels in lake sediments, scientists can even estimate the salmon densities of
the ancient past
FREEING THE ELWHA
This project was made possible in part by a grant from
Washington’s National Park Fund.