Ecosystems We Study: Alaska Bioregions and Arctic

Alaska is simultaneously a landscape of extremes requiring specialized adaptations by plants and animals to survive the winters and a landscape of abundance that supports breeding birds each summer from as far away as Africa. Terrestrial Alaska also supports iconic species such as caribou and muskoxen whose population dynamics, predator/prey relationships and habitat ecology are researched by USGS scientists. Alaska is also bounded by 3 oceans and has a strong marine connection. USGS scientists conduct research that informs the management and conservation ecosystems that supports species such as sea ducks, seabirds, walrus, and polar bears.