SCIENCE & RESEARCH
Science and Research at Cassiar Cannery
When we arrived at the Cassiar Cannery in 2006, we quickly realized how important the Skeena River is to the thousands of people throughout the watershed in addition to providing critical habitat for resident and migrating birds, mammals and salmon. One of the most fascinating characteristics of the Cassiar Cannery is its rich and varied ecosystem coupled with the humbling aspects of the importance of this place, this river and its diverse human history that depends on the health and bounty provided by the Skeena River and the Pacific Ocean.
In 2009, Ali Howard and the Skeena Swim Team swam 610km from the headwaters of the Skeena River to the ocean. She ended up here. For us, this cemented the link between the entire Skeena Watershed, from the headwaters to the ocean, and the responsibility that comes with being a part of this remarkable place.
There is a large gap in scientific data on the West Coast between the research station in Nanaimo and the next one in Alaska. We are proud to host independent scientists at the Cassiar Cannery deep diving into their specific field.
We began with a detailed assessment of the biodiversity of the Skeena Estuary along Cassiar Cannery’s foreshore area with Dr. Darwyn Coxson from the University of Northern British Columbia. Over nearly a decade, Dr. Coxson has led a deep dive into the botany of the Skeena Salt Marsh. Permanent markers have been established at the Cassiar Cannery to record, catalog and monitor the incredible diversity of species that make up the salt water tidal flats in this unique estuarine ecosystem. The salt marshes have been part of the curriculum at UNBC as part of a bi-annual course offering for third year science students to get some hands-on experience in the field.
Dr. Coxson has systematically built on his research annually drilling deeper into the botanical world at the Cassiar Cannery. He has discovered 159 species of plants between the mudflats and the treeline in the Salt Marsh and close to 500 different species of plants and lichens at the Cassiar Cannery alone. The Skeena Estuary is a botanical hotspot and this is also proven with our next longest research project: biodiversity of the Skeena mudflats by Dr Travis Gerwing.
Dr Gerwing also led systematic, multi-year studies into the mudflats of the Skeena Estuary. The Skeena is the second largest river in BC, one of the longest intact rivers in the world and the last intact temperate rainforest watershed in the world. The others have all had development. When the Skeena hits the Pacific Ocean, it drops sediment, predominently clay in our area in the intertidal zone – from the high to low tide line. Some foreshores are rocky intertidal zones, our foreshore is made up of extensive mudflats comprised of fine clay and one thin humic layer. Much of the oxygen has been squished out the deeper one goes leaving an anoxic (oxygen deprived) environment. Intertidal zones are interesting because they have different environments daily. From being exposed to the air for up to six hours multiple times a day, to being covered with cold, dark water, to being pummeled by waves or having the sun’s rays beat down on exposed sections, animals have to be quite hardy to survive these ever changing environments.
Dr Gerwing wasn’t sure what to expect when he started his research here. There wasn’t previous data. What he did find amazed him. Eight different species would have been a hotspot of biodiversity. He found over 45 different species of marine invertebrates living in our foreshore.
We also hosted a multi-year, global study, looking into decomposition rates by forest invertebrates on local trees along with a control piece (pine) out of Germany with Drs Burton also from UNBC. Cassiar Cannery was one of the “extreme” sites around the world for the amount of rainfall. There were three different set ups in three sets so one could be removed each year and examined. Local species of wood, and the control sticks, were placed three ways: into a fine mesh tent sealed by a zipper, into the same mesh tent with openings cut into the sides, bottom and top, and the final one was everything totally exposed on the ground. Results? Overall, at this time, the Cassiar Cannery did not have very hungry forest invertebrates for wood compared to other places around the globe.
Check the press release issued by UNBC and Dr. Coxson highlighting the environmental importance of the carbon stores of BC’s estuaries in additional to providing critical habitat for salmon, birds and mammals.
ANNUAL PROJECT OVERVIEW
Cassiar Cannery is located within the estuary of the Skeena River in Northwestern British Columbia. Technically Inverness Passage is considered part of the Pacific Ocean, but the proximity of the Skeena River, pouring millions of litres of fresh water daily, creates a rare and unique habitat home to an outstanding selection of flora and fauna.
Estuarine ecosystems are scarce, comprising only 2.3% of BC’s coastline. The mixing of the salt and fresh water, coupled with the silt deposited along the foreshore from the Skeena River, has created a wonderfully fertile shoreline for a huge range of botanical species. The protein rich grasses support a large population of resident birds, forage fish and larger mammals such as bears and deer.
Renowned University of Northern British Columbia professor, Dr. Darwyn Coxson, has been leading a team of research assistants and students studying the unique salt marsh ecosystem every summer since 2011. Focusing on the salt marsh along Inverness Passage, Dr. Coxson has established permanent transects and plots running from the treeline to the edge of the mudflats.
Below is an outline of annual activity. For more information, please visit the individual pages.
ANNUAL PROJECT OVERVIEW
2011: Students from the UNBC Systematic Botany field course (Biology 301) were hosted at Cassiar Cannery, establishing permanent marker plots for long-term studies on estuarine biodiversity.
2012: Pilot project measurements were taken on productivity and biomass of the Skeena River salt marsh communities. Cassiar Cannery laboratories were used to sort and process biomass samples.
2013: Students in the UNBC Systematic Botany field course (Biology 301) re-examined plant diversity within permanent marker plots.
2014: In their first full season of summer fieldwork UNBC researchers expanded the network of long-term monitoring plots and conducted associated measurements of field environmental parameters.
2015: The UNBC Systematic Botany field course will be hosted again at Cassiar Cannery. UNBC researchers are returning for a second season of summer field work on salt marsh biodiversity.
Check the press release issued by UNBC and Dr. Coxson highlighting the environmental importance the carbon stores of BC’s estuaries in additional to providing critical habitat for salmon, birds and mammals.
This study is open for sponsorship. For more information, please contact Dr. Darwyn Coxson at UNBC Prince George Campus or the Cassiar Cannery.
2011: UNBC Botany Assessment Field Visit
2011 was the first year UNBC Professor Dr. Darwyn Coxson began to study the salt marsh around the Cassiar Cannery. Dr. Coxson began with a rapid biodiversity assessment before hosting the first group of students enrolled in the Systematic Botany field course (Biology 301) from the University of Northern British Columbia.
The students were here for two days staying in our Guest Houses and utilizing the historic General Store as lab space.
ACTIVITIES IN 2011 INCLUDED:
- Initial Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of the Skeena Estuary Salt Marsh by Dr. Coxson
- Establish permanent markers for the transects along the foreshore of the Cassiar Cannery
- Plant samples collected, pressed and dried for identification
- First group of 16 students study the salt marshes along the transects cataloging species within a one-meter square along their specific transects from the tree line to the mudflats over two days
- Data collected for each section of each transect for species, salinity, elevation changes and some soil sampling
- Puddles sampled for salinity as well as the layers of the ocean in Inverness Passage
Check the press release issued by UNBC and Dr. Coxson highlighting the environmental importance the carbon stores of BC’s estuaries in additional to providing critical habitat for salmon, birds and mammals.
2012: UNBC Botany Research
In 2012, UNBC professor Dr. Darwyn Coxson, returned to the Cassiar Cannery to expand on his research from the previous year.
Staying in one of our Guest Houses and using the General Store as a lab, Dr. Coxson revisited the transects established in 2011 for further study.
ACTIVITIES IN 2012 INCLUDE:
- Dr. Coxson revisits every sample section within all the transects over a full seven day period
- Elevation survey taken again
- Within each one-meter square sample, a 30cm x 30cm square is clipped, assigned an identification number and bagged
- Each sample is spread out to dry then repackaged into identified paper bags according to their transect location
- Each sample is weighed then separated into individual species, bagged and tagged and weighed again alone to calculate the overall species density
2013: UNBC Botany Research
In 2013, the Cassiar Cannery hosted the second group of students enrolled in University of Northern British Columbia Systemic Botany field course (Biology 301).
2013
- Second group of students slated for one day of field study in August 2013
- Working off a master list compiled in 2011 and 2012, students collected and identified a wide range of plant material.
2014 UNBC Botany Research
The extensive 2014 summer research program was kindly sponsored by Pacific Northwest LNG. Thanks to their efforts, renowned University of Northern BC professor, Dr. Darwyn Coxson was able to constructively expand on the previous three years of study.
Using the Cassiar Cannery as a field station, Dr. Coxson, along with three research assistants, intensively studied 30 field plots along Inverness Passage assessing the various species, biomass and to classify the soil types along some of the transects. Plants were collected, photographed, dried and individually mounted to create a wonderful herbarium collection at the Cassiar Cannery along with a second set at the University of Northern British Columbia.
For more information or if you are interested in sponsoring future research activities, please contact us or Dr. Coxson at http://web.unbc.ca/~wetbelt/biography-coxson.htm
Below is a report highlighting the terrific activities during the summer of 2014. Click on the link to get to a pdf file.
Forage Fish are a diverse and critical part of the marine food web providing food for birds, fish and mammals. Smithers biologist John Kelson collected, sorted and identified a large number of samples collected within the Skeena Estuary.
More Info
The area encompassed by the Skeena River estuary supports a prolific and diverse ecosystem. Mixing zones, areas where fresh water mix with the ocean, have a special function within the marine environment. The Skeena River is the second largest river in BC and one of the longest rivers in the world without a dam. Estuaries are some of the most productive habitats on earth and also quite rare with only 2.3% of the BC Coast supporting these special ecosystems.
The Skeena River is renowned internationally as one of the great salmon rivers but it also supports a thriving diversity of forage fish. Forage fish are a classification of fish that are primarily preyed on by other fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Generally the species are small and therefore cluster in schools. Forage fish, including other species such as shrimp, squid and tiny shrimp like creatures called krill, play an important role within the ecosystem as they mostly feed on a primary part of the food web – plankton. In turn the forage fish become food for the larger species.
Local Smithers biologist, John Kelson, performed a Rapid Assessment of Skeena Estuary Forage Fish to survey and identify species as well as calculating their approximate densities. Utilizing two custom built collection nets, a 2m diameter larval net, a 3m diameter larval net each with 15mm mesh, and a 0.5m diameter bongo net with 350micron mesh, tows were performed oblique to the shoreline to cross eddy lines, and sample a diagonal of depths from close to the bottom at 25m, to the surface. All samples were located with a GPS position, and temperatures and salinity recorded at 1m below the surface, then at 2m intervals for depths sampled. Specimens were preserved in alcohol and later cataloged at the Skeena Estuary Research Centre at the Cassiar Cannery.
The study identified a number of species, including the Long Fin Smelt which is endangered in San Francisco Bay.
To read the full report, please click on the PDF file below.
Skeena Estuary Ecology Report 2012
This study should occur much more frequently and is seeking sponsorship to continue to build the database of Skeena Estuary Forage Fish. Please contact us and we will direct you to the biologists.
Thank you to the Driftwood Foundation who funded this first assessment.
BIRD STUDY: Marbled Murrelets within the Skeena Estuary
The Marbled Murrelet is a red-listed species at risk. A small shorebird with very unique characteristics, it has suffered from human activities in many areas along the West Coast. Executed by local Smithers Biologist, John Kelson, a route tracked by GPS was established throughout the Skeena Estuary. Marbled Murrelets were identified along the route, counted and the data entered into a computer.
We are always interested in building the knowledge bank by independent scientists studying this pristine, unique ecosystem.
GALLERY
