A preliminary investigation of the lichen biota associated with recently deglaciated terrain in southeastern Alaska

Glaciers worldwide are currently retreating at unprecedented rates, revealing large tracts of newly exposed rock and till. We present the results of a preliminary, qualitative investigation of the lichen diversity of transient habitats near three glaciers in southeastern Alaska: Muir Glacier within Glacier Bay National Park, and Baird and Patterson Glaciers in the Tongass National Forest. This work is noteworthy as it (i) documents previously undescribed lichen species and communities within rapidly changing glacier habitats, (ii) illustrates the importance of cryptogams (lichens, bryophytes, algae, and cyanobacteria) in the primary colonization of recently deglaciated terrain, (iii) sets apart the lichen biota of recently deglaciated terrain in southeastern Alaska from that of other glacial regions worldwide (e.g., the European Alps, Svalbard, and southern South America) and even other parts of Alaska (e.g., Brooks Range), and (iv) emphasizes the importance of more lichen studies that focus on this rapidly changing habitat. The lichen biotas found at different successional stages near these glaciers are described and compared. The role of lichens and other cryptogams in post-glacial vegetation initiation, the threats to the lichen biota, and suggestions for the possible origins of the lichen propagules that colonize these newly exposed surfaces are also discussed.

Acoustically advertising male harbour seals in southeast Alaska do not make biologically relevant acoustic adjustments in the presence of vessel noise

Aquatically breeding harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina ) males use underwater vocalizations during the breeding season to establish underwater territories, defend territories against intruder males, and possibly to attract females. Vessel noise overlaps in frequency with these vocalizations and could negatively impact breeding success by limiting communication space. In this study, we investigated whether harbour seals employed anti-masking strategies to maintain communication in the presence of vessel noise in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Harbour seals in this location did not sufficiently adjust source levels or acoustic parameters of vocalizations to compensate for acoustic masking. Instead, for every 1 dB increase in ambient noise, signal excess decreased by 0.84 dB, indicating a reduction in communication space when vessels passed. We suggest that harbour seals may already be acoustically advertising at or near a biologically maximal sound level and therefore lack the ability to increase call amplitude to adjust to changes in their acoustic environment. This may have significant implications for this aquatically breeding pinniped, particularly for populations in high noise regions.

Lichens and associated fungi from Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Lichens are widely acknowledged to be a key component of high latitude ecosystems. However, the time investment needed for full inventories and the lack of taxonomic identification resources for crustose lichen and lichenicolous fungal diversity have hampered efforts to fully gauge the depth of species richness in these ecosystems. Using a combination of classical field inventory and extensive deployment of chemical and molecular analysis, we assessed the diversity of lichens and associated fungi in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (USA), a mixed landscape of coastal boreal rainforest and early successional low elevation habitats deglaciated after the Little Ice Age. We collected nearly 5000 specimens and found a total of 947 taxa, including 831 taxa of lichen-forming and 96 taxa of lichenicolous fungi together with 20 taxa of saprotrophic fungi typically included in lichen studies. A total of 98 species (10.3% of those detected) could not be assigned to known species and of those, two genera and 27 species are described here as new to science: Atrophysma cyanomelanos gen. et sp. nov., Bacidina circumpulla, Biatora marmorea, Carneothele sphagnicola gen. et sp. nov., Cirrenalia lichenicola, Corticifraga nephromatis, Fuscidea muskeg, Fuscopannaria dillmaniae, Halecania athallina, Hydropunctaria alaskana, Lambiella aliphatica, Lecania hydrophobica, Lecanora viridipruinosa, Lecidea griseomarginata, L. streveleri, Miriquidica gyrizans, Niesslia peltigerae, Ochrolechia cooperi, Placynthium glaciale, Porpidia seakensis, Rhizocarpon haidense, Sagiolechia phaeospora, Sclerococcum fissurinae, Spilonema maritimum, Thelocarpon immersum, Toensbergia blastidiata and Xenonectriella nephromatis. An additional 71 ‘known unknown’ species are cursorily described. Four new combinations are made: Lepra subvelata (G. K. Merr.) T. Sprib., Ochrolechia minuta (Degel.) T. Sprib., Steineropsis laceratula (Hue) T. Sprib. & Ekman and Toensbergia geminipara (Th. Fr.) T. Sprib. & Resl. Thirty-eight taxa are new to North America and 93 additional taxa new to Alaska. We use four to eight DNA loci to validate the placement of ten of the new species in the orders Baeomycetales, Ostropales, Lecanorales, Peltigerales, Pertusariales and the broader class Lecanoromycetes with maximum likelihood analyses. We present a total of 280 new fungal DNA sequences. The lichen inventory from Glacier Bay National Park represents the second largest number of lichens and associated fungi documented from an area of comparable size and the largest to date in North America. Coming from almost 60°N, these results again underline the potential for high lichen diversity in high latitude ecosystems.

Applying Anthropology in an Alaskan National Park

In a very different sort of applied research, one of the authors is hired by the National Park Service to study Tlingit Indian and white fishermen in a remote area of Glacier Bay National Park. Both groups are suspicious of the research and some individuals are hostile, fearing the Park Service intends to impose new regulations. Shunned at first, the anthropologist later is recruited by the Tlingit to become an “expert witness” and advocate for their rights in Alaska’s Supreme Court.