Biological Projects

Inventory

What? – Where? – How Many? – are the questions answered by inventorying the natural resources of the Alaska Maritime Refuge. Without this basic starting point (baseline data), scientists would be unable to identify changes and trends.

What We Inventory

Seabird colonies
Marine mammal rookeries
Sea otters
Pelagic birds and marine mammals (via the M/V Tiglax)
Raptors
Fish
Vegetation
Invertebrates
Archaeological sites

Why We Inventory

Information on the status, distribution, habitat use, and trends of these natural resources supplies the managers of the refuge with scientifically supportable land and resource data for their decision-making.

Added Bonus

We know some of our islands host unique species not found elsewhere. While inventorying, we keep our eyes open – this refuge may be the frontier where the next new species is discovered.

The Next Step

Once we have this basic or baseline data, we can conduct periodic monitoring of these sites and resources to track changes and identify conservation problems. Learn more.

Last updated:September 8, 2008