Natural History Wanderings

Salmon populations actually influence what plants grow where.  A recent article by the BBC Pacific salmon run helps shape Canada’s ecosystems described how the nutrients from Salmon going up river determine what plants thrive.  Salmon are caught by bears and wolves and nutrients go into the soil from their carcasses left near stream banks.  Those areas where there are  lots of Salmon supported nutrient rich plants such as salmonberry and elderberry.  This also resulted in less plant diversity in these areas.  When the salmon population is smaller, plants that have lower nutrient requirements such as blueberry and huckleberry thrive.