Capelin, a small forage fish, are spawning on beaches around Alaska and your observations can contribute to our understanding of beach spawning behavior and the health of marine ecosystems.
Caitlin Marsteller
Predator-prey interactions, population ecology, forage fish, seabirds, conservation biology, animal behavior, environmental drivers and experiential education.
Caitlin is a biologist working on the status and trends of seabirds and forage fish in lower Cook Inlet. This work includes hydroacoustic-trawl surveys to monitor changing forage fish availability, as well as monitoring breeding colonies of Black-legged Kittiwakes and Common Murres. Caitlin also assists with the Gulf Watch Alaska program, specifically integrated predator prey surveys which tracks humpback whale foraging behavior in Prince William Sound.
Science and Products
Seabird Die-offs in Alaska
Beginning in 2015, large numbers of dead seabirds have been appearing on beaches in most marine areas of Alaska. Although seabird die-offs are known to occur sporadically (e.g. 1970, 1989, 1993, 1997/1998, and 2004) in Alaska, these recent die-offs have been distinguished from past events by their increased frequency, duration, geographic extent, and number of different species involved.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
A massive die-off of Common Murres was documented in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during the fall and winter of 2015-2016 in association with a record-breaking marine heat wave in the GOA.
Detecting Long-term Changes in Forage Fish Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Forage fish are small pelagic schooling fish that play a key role in transferring energy between plankton and top marine predators. Many seabirds, marine mammals, and commercial fish species depend on forage fish to grow and survive.
Q&A: Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
Alaska has over 6,500 miles of coastline and the marine areas off these coasts are some of the most productive in the world in terms of fish and the seabirds that often feed on those fish. Almost 100 million seabirds breed and nest along the rocky and grassy coastlines of Alaska. The status and population trends of fish and seabirds is of interest to many people in Alaska because their abundance...
Condition of Forage Fish in Prince William Sound During the Marine Heatwave
Changes in the body condition of a key forage fish species, Pacific sand lance ( Ammodytes personatus ), are examined to understand how energy transfer to predators may have been disrupted during the recent marine heatwave in the North Pacific (late 2013 to mid 2016).
Capelin flyer
Capelin, a small forage fish, are spawning on beaches around Alaska and your observations can contribute to our understanding of beach spawning behavior and the health of marine ecosystems.
Anchorage Christmas Bird Count
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Walking trail for Anchorage Christmas Bird Count
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Anchorage Christmas Bird Count Survey
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska Christmas Bird Count
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Two Black-legged Kittiwakes flying
Two Black-legged Kittiwakes fly around the nesting colony on Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Two Black-legged Kittiwakes fly around the nesting colony on Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Thousands of seabirds occupy Gull Island, an important seabird nesting colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Thousands of seabirds occupy Gull Island, an important seabird nesting colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Common Murres on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Common Murres nest along cliff edges and on the top of Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Common Murres nest along cliff edges and on the top of Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Trawl catch processing
Biologist Dan Donnelly processes fish caught in a midwater trawl aboard the USGS Alaskan Gyre.
Biologist Dan Donnelly processes fish caught in a midwater trawl aboard the USGS Alaskan Gyre.
Happy harbor seal
A harbor seal rests in a bed of seaweed at low tide in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
A harbor seal rests in a bed of seaweed at low tide in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Alaska
Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Pelagic cormorant, Gull Island, Kachemak Bay Alaska
Pelagic cormorant, sitting on a cliff on Gull Island, which is located at Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Pelagic cormorant, sitting on a cliff on Gull Island, which is located at Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Common Murre with a Northern Ronquil
A Common Murre holds a Northern Ronquil in its bill. Photo taken at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
A Common Murre holds a Northern Ronquil in its bill. Photo taken at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Scientists record nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Brian Robinson (USGS) and Ben Weitzman (NOAA) record observations along nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. USGS is studying the migration strategies and movement ecology of Black Oystercatchers as part of the new tracking study.
Brian Robinson (USGS) and Ben Weitzman (NOAA) record observations along nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. USGS is studying the migration strategies and movement ecology of Black Oystercatchers as part of the new tracking study.
Caitlin Marsteller stands on top of Duck Island
Caitlin Marsteller stands on top of Duck Island, on the west side of lower Cook Inlet, after collecting time lapse cameras. Duck island is home to a breeding colony of Common Murres where time lapse cameras collect data, such as the number of eggs laid and the number of chicks hatched, to help estimate breeding productivity.
Caitlin Marsteller stands on top of Duck Island, on the west side of lower Cook Inlet, after collecting time lapse cameras. Duck island is home to a breeding colony of Common Murres where time lapse cameras collect data, such as the number of eggs laid and the number of chicks hatched, to help estimate breeding productivity.
Science and Products
Seabird Die-offs in Alaska
Beginning in 2015, large numbers of dead seabirds have been appearing on beaches in most marine areas of Alaska. Although seabird die-offs are known to occur sporadically (e.g. 1970, 1989, 1993, 1997/1998, and 2004) in Alaska, these recent die-offs have been distinguished from past events by their increased frequency, duration, geographic extent, and number of different species involved.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
A massive die-off of Common Murres was documented in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during the fall and winter of 2015-2016 in association with a record-breaking marine heat wave in the GOA.
Detecting Long-term Changes in Forage Fish Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Forage fish are small pelagic schooling fish that play a key role in transferring energy between plankton and top marine predators. Many seabirds, marine mammals, and commercial fish species depend on forage fish to grow and survive.
Q&A: Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
Alaska has over 6,500 miles of coastline and the marine areas off these coasts are some of the most productive in the world in terms of fish and the seabirds that often feed on those fish. Almost 100 million seabirds breed and nest along the rocky and grassy coastlines of Alaska. The status and population trends of fish and seabirds is of interest to many people in Alaska because their abundance...
Condition of Forage Fish in Prince William Sound During the Marine Heatwave
Changes in the body condition of a key forage fish species, Pacific sand lance ( Ammodytes personatus ), are examined to understand how energy transfer to predators may have been disrupted during the recent marine heatwave in the North Pacific (late 2013 to mid 2016).
Capelin flyer
Capelin, a small forage fish, are spawning on beaches around Alaska and your observations can contribute to our understanding of beach spawning behavior and the health of marine ecosystems.
Capelin, a small forage fish, are spawning on beaches around Alaska and your observations can contribute to our understanding of beach spawning behavior and the health of marine ecosystems.
Anchorage Christmas Bird Count
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Walking trail for Anchorage Christmas Bird Count
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Anchorage Christmas Bird Count Survey
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska Christmas Bird Count
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists, Danielle Gerik, Bronwen Wang, and Anchorage School District student volunteer, Gabe Gray count and identify birds for the 2021 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count at Prospect Heights, Anchorage, Alaska.
Two Black-legged Kittiwakes flying
Two Black-legged Kittiwakes fly around the nesting colony on Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Two Black-legged Kittiwakes fly around the nesting colony on Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Thousands of seabirds occupy Gull Island, an important seabird nesting colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Thousands of seabirds occupy Gull Island, an important seabird nesting colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Common Murres on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Common Murres nest along cliff edges and on the top of Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Common Murres nest along cliff edges and on the top of Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Trawl catch processing
Biologist Dan Donnelly processes fish caught in a midwater trawl aboard the USGS Alaskan Gyre.
Biologist Dan Donnelly processes fish caught in a midwater trawl aboard the USGS Alaskan Gyre.
Happy harbor seal
A harbor seal rests in a bed of seaweed at low tide in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
A harbor seal rests in a bed of seaweed at low tide in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Alaska
Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Black Oystercatcher on Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Pelagic cormorant, Gull Island, Kachemak Bay Alaska
Pelagic cormorant, sitting on a cliff on Gull Island, which is located at Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Pelagic cormorant, sitting on a cliff on Gull Island, which is located at Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Common Murre with a Northern Ronquil
A Common Murre holds a Northern Ronquil in its bill. Photo taken at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
A Common Murre holds a Northern Ronquil in its bill. Photo taken at Gull Island in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Scientists record nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
Brian Robinson (USGS) and Ben Weitzman (NOAA) record observations along nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. USGS is studying the migration strategies and movement ecology of Black Oystercatchers as part of the new tracking study.
Brian Robinson (USGS) and Ben Weitzman (NOAA) record observations along nearshore transects in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. USGS is studying the migration strategies and movement ecology of Black Oystercatchers as part of the new tracking study.
Caitlin Marsteller stands on top of Duck Island
Caitlin Marsteller stands on top of Duck Island, on the west side of lower Cook Inlet, after collecting time lapse cameras. Duck island is home to a breeding colony of Common Murres where time lapse cameras collect data, such as the number of eggs laid and the number of chicks hatched, to help estimate breeding productivity.
Caitlin Marsteller stands on top of Duck Island, on the west side of lower Cook Inlet, after collecting time lapse cameras. Duck island is home to a breeding colony of Common Murres where time lapse cameras collect data, such as the number of eggs laid and the number of chicks hatched, to help estimate breeding productivity.