Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Ocean/Envir 260 Lecture #2: What’s special about the Puget Sound ecosystem?

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Charismatic species Resident orca “whales” Giant Pacific octopus Geoduck— world’s largest burrowing clam

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Northeast Pacific Ecoregion One of WWF 200 priorities world-wide “Globally outstanding” phenomena: –Largest remaining temperate rainforest –Large salmon runs 3 NE Pacific ecoregion Selection from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) map of global priorities

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Puget Sound forests Western WA: “Maximal development of temperate coniferous forests in the world, in terms of extent and size” –Franklin and Dyrness Historically, lowland Puget Sound particularly impressive –Douglas Fir predominance –Lowland growing conditions 4

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Puget Sound forests Historic size extraordinary –Cedar: 13’ diameter, 2’ avg –Cottonwood: 7’ diameter Still impressive: –Most old growth in lower 48 –Washington #2 timber producer in country 5 Federal lands protect old growth

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Puget Sound salmon Most productive wild salmon source in lower 48 –Historically and current –Marine shoreline is key Full diversity of species 6 Total Wild Salmon Production, Lower 48 States

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Puget Sound salmon Supported tribal cultures –“One of most densely populated nonagricultural regions in world” Catch rivaled industrial total 7 Native American fishing weir

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Puget Sound itself Second largest estuary in country (marine area) Fjord: narrow, deep –High ratio, productive shoreline –Small drainage area 8 Chesapeake Bay #1 San Francisco Bay #3

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Puget Sound Complex system –Sills inhibit flushing “Near perfect” conditions for plankton in Main Basin –Water residence time, tides vary dramatically 8’ tides Pt Townsend 15’ tides Olympia 9

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Biodiversity “The range of organisms present in a particular ecological community or system.” 7,013 species in CBD study (2005) –More than 31 whole states –Almost certainly undercount Especially for Sound itself 10

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Biodiversity Diverse habitats –Marine, freshwater, terrestrial –Range of elevations –Range of precipitation 11 Annual precipitation across Puget Sound basin

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Beauty, youth, culture “…the beauty and stark grandeur of a North that has no harshness.” –Walkinshaw, 1929 “Civilized mankind has never yet had a fresh chance of developing itself under grand and stirring influences so large as in the Northwest.” –Winthrop, The Canoe and the Saddle, 1853 Cultural juxtaposition: nature and modern world 12

Ocean/ENVIR 260 Fall 2010Lecture 2© 2010 University of Washington Recap: What makes Puget Sound special? Globally significant –Forests –Salmon –Estuary Biodiversity “hot spot” Proximity of nature to developed society 13