The structure and functioning of an ecosystem rest on biological diversity; that is, the species/genetic diversity acquired over the long process of evolution. A diminishment of diversity invites breakdowns in elements of biological interaction networks, potentially leading to a loss of an environmental service or an inability for restoration. An import challenge for researchers is reveal the mechanisms of such effects and ways of dealing with them or, more broadly, to protect the biological productivity of wetlands and to preserve the rich diversity of their ecosystems. In this research, we turn our attention to oncorhynchus (Pacific salmon), a keystone species* affected by global warming. We seek to establish a sustainability/risk management system based on adaptive management and the precautionary principle within subarctic wetland habitats, now coming under pressure amid global warming. More specifically, we:
(1) survey strategic life histories of Pacific salmon, together with biological interaction between wild and hatchery populations; and
(2) utilize an uncertainty model in evaluating effects of warming on Pacific salmon, better understanding wetland ecosystems in subarctic waters, and assessing human impacts on such ecosystems. We conduct our research together with researchers from the University of Washington, the University of Alaska Fairbank, the University of Alaska Southeast (Juneau), and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
* Keystone species: a species having a particularly large effect on its environment; indeed, the ecosystem may be dramatically impacted by its removal.