Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Event
Herring spawn
Wintering waterbirds maximum
Western Sandpipers in bay
Clapper Rail breeding season
Harbor Seals pup
Songbirds nest around creeks
Salmon migrate through bay
Seasonal upwelling
Waterbirds nest on Alcatraz
American Avocet chicks hatch
Gumplants flower
California Least Terns breed
Leopard Sharks pup
Brown Pelicans migrate into bay
Winter run Coho Salmon spawn
Figure 8. Seasonal wildlife events around the bay. Each season presents a show-
case of biological marvels—migrating ducks, spawning salmon, pupping Harbor
Seals, blooming gum plant—against the shimmering backdrop of the bay.
(Kathleen M. Wong)
Conclusion
The array of plants and animals in today's San Francisco Bay is very differ-
ent from what lived there before Europeans arrived 300 years ago. The
modern mix of estuary inhabitants bears the distinctive stamp of human
history. These newer residents range from stowaways on Gold Rush-era
ships, to discarded aquarium pets, to species planted here by immigrants
who missed familiar species from home. Hundreds of such alien species
have taken root within the bay's welcoming waters and established thriv-
ing populations. The estuary, like the cities around it, has become a melt-
ing pot from around the globe.
The majority of these species have settled seamlessly into existing bio-
logical communities. But others are shouldering aside the natives at an
alarming rate. These include invasive clams that now carpet Suisun Bay,
cordgrasses that sprout with eerie vigor, and a bass that seems more at
home here than the estuary's native fishes.
Whether native or introduced, the organisms found here must contend
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search