Julia Platt: The Unwavering Force Behind Monterey’s Ecological Conservation

In the 18th century, when Spanish and French explorers ventured along the northern California coast they encountered Monterey Bay and marveled at the astonishing ecological abundance of this 25-mile wide bite mark in the land. The shores buzzed with the lively interactions of sea birds, sea otters played amidst the luxuriant kelp beds, and the waters teemed with many species of whale.

Yet, by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this rich tapestry of marine life and biodiversity had largely been erased, replaced by the destructive industrial operations of sardine canneries. These factories, though they brought economic activity and prosperity to a few, also introduced a plague of environmental problems that began a period of staggering ecological decline.

California Coast out of Big Sur (photo: Erik Olsen)

But the tide turned in the early 20th century, in large part due to the efforts of a determined, pioneering woman who took a stand against the sardine industry and began an effort of restoration that helped make Monterey Bay one of the most celebrated shorelines in the world..

This transformational figure was Julia Platt, whose contributions were instrumental in the conservation efforts that led to the revival of Monterey’s natural and economic landscape. As mayor of Monterey and a pioneer in marine conservation, Platt used her authority and vision to establish protected marine areas and implement regulations that curbed overfishing and habitat destruction. Her efforts laid the groundwork for a broader environmental awareness and action within the community.

Julia Platt began her career not in politics, but in science. She was born on September 14, 1857, in San Francisco, California, and later moved to Burlington, Vermont. She studied at the University of Vermont and then at Harvard University for her graduate studies.

During her academic journey, Julia faced the limitations imposed on women in academia at the time. In the late 1800s in the United States, it was nearly impossible for a woman to pursue a Ph.D. in zoology due to prevailing gender biases. However, the University of Freiburg in Baden, Germany, presented her with an opportunity to break through these barriers. She seized this chance and became one of the first women to earn a zoological Ph.D. there, challenging the norms and paving the way for future generations.

Her academic achievements were significant, and she had already made significant contributions to science, including pioneering research on chick embryo development and identifying a new head segment in shark embryos.

But upon returning to the US, she once again ran up against the glass ceiling of academia. While she worked with some of the top zoologists of the time, she could not find steady work in science. Admitting defeat, but determined to make her mark, she decided on politics, writing to a friend, “Without work, life isn’t worth living. If I cannot obtain the work I wish, then I must take up with the next best.”

Cannery Row in Monterey 2023 – (Photo by Erik Olsen)

Monterey Bay’s legendary biodiversity was under serious threat. In 1854, a whale was as valuable as several pounds of pure gold, and J.P. Davenport harvested them using exploding lances, processing the carcasses in shore-based vats of boiling oil. By the late 19th century, the lucrative abalone industry had attracted Chinese fishermen village to the shores of Pacific Grove over-burdening the population. During the Gold Rush, prospectors consumed fourteen million seabird eggs from the Farallon islands, a practice that decimated seabird populations. From the 1910s to the 1940s, Monterey Bay’s sardine population fueled a burgeoning canning industry, reaching unprecedented scales that caused horrific smells in town and rendered the beach useless for recreation.

Each of these industries ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own exploitation; otters, whales, seabirds, abalone, and sardines were all harvested to the brink of extinction.

In 1899, as the age of 42, she moved to Pacific Grove, the photogenic seaside hamlet next to Monterey where industrial canning and the environmental destruction wrought by it was at its peak. The pollution from canning operations (romanticized in John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row) made the beaches unusable and the smell wafting from Monterey made conditions almost unlivable. Platt decided to redirect her passion for understanding the intricacies of life into preserving it.

Photo by Eadweard Muybridge of egg collectors on South Farallon Island
Courtesy of New York Public Library via Wikicommons

Taking matters into her own hands, she ran for public office. In 1931, at the age of 70, she became the mayor of Pacific Grove. Despite facing challenges as one of the few female mayors of her time, she wielded her position with an iron will and a clear vision for the future. She was an ardent advocate for beach access for all people, and wielded crowbars, hammers and her own strong will against the rich beachfront land owners who sought to fence off their properties. In this regard, she was a pioneer, foreshadowing the California Coastal Act of 1976—one of the most treasured aspects of California’s landmark coastal protection system—which protects the state’s iconic coastlines from unchecked development and preserves their natural beauty and accessibility for future generations.

Platt’s most significant and lasting contribution as mayor was the establishment of one of the first marine protected areas in California. She passionately argued for the designation of a marine refuge along the coastline, driven by her belief in the innate value of conserving marine habitats and their inhabitants. With her guidance, what became the Lovers Point-Julia Platt State Marine Reserve (SMR) and Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA), became two of four marine protected areas (MPAs) located on the Monterey Peninsula between Monterey and Pacific Grove.

Bixby Bridge near Monterey (Photo: Erik Olsen)

Thanks to Platt’s efforts, the region saw a revival in its marine biodiversity. Her initiatives ensured that the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem was maintained and allowed for species that were on the brink of being decimated due to human activities to thrive once more.

Julia Platt was more than just Monterey’s mayor; she was its guardian. Through her vision and determination, she transformed Monterey into a beacon of marine conservation. Even after her tenure as mayor, Platt’s legacy lived on. Her initiatives paved the way for future conservation efforts, including the establishment of the iconic Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Islands of Insight: Unraveling the Mysteries of Island Biogeography in California’s Channel Islands

The Channel Islands, located as close as 40 miles off the coast of Southern California are a hidden gem, an enchanting archipelago where the rush of modern life gives way to the soothing rhythms of nature. In addition to an abundance of natural beauty, this cluster of eight islands, often referred to as the “Galápagos of North America,” provides a unique stage where isolation and diverse ecosystems converge, allowing scientists and nature enthusiasts alike to witness the captivating dance of evolutionary processes in real-time.

In particular, the Channel Islands offer a fascinating natural laboratory for the study of island biogeography. This field of biology, which explores the distribution of species and ecosystems in island environments, finds a perfect case study in these islands. Each island, with its unique size, isolation, and ecological features, provides invaluable insights into the processes shaping biodiversity and evolution on islands worldwide.

Island biogeography is anchored in the theory proposed by E.O. Wilson and Robert MacArthur in the 1960s. Their theory, focusing on the balance between immigration and extinction of species on islands, is brilliantly exemplified in the Channel Islands. The islands’ diverse range of habitats, from rocky shores to lush kelp forests, allows for the study of numerous species and ecological interactions.

One significant study conducted in the Channel Islands involved the island fox (Urocyon littoralis), a species endemic to the islands. Research by Robert Wayne and others revealed that each island’s fox population had evolved independently, offering a unique opportunity to study speciation and adaptive evolution. This case underscores the islands’ role as a natural setting for observing evolutionary processes in a relatively controlled environment.

Another fascinating aspect of the Channel Islands is the study of island gigantism and dwarfism. For instance, the discovery of remains of the pygmy mammoth (Mammuthus exilis) on Santa Rosa Island provides a classic example of how isolation and limited resources can lead to significant evolutionary changes. These remains, studied extensively, illustrate how large continental species can evolve into smaller forms on islands, a phenomenon widely recognized in island biogeography.

Excavation of pygmy mammoth bones on the Channel Islands (National Park Service)

Furthermore, the Channel Islands have been instrumental in studying plant species’ colonization and adaptation. Due to their isolation, the islands host a variety of endemic plant species. A study by Kaius Helenurm demonstrated how these plants have adapted to the islands’ unique environmental conditions. Their research highlighted the role of geographic isolation in promoting speciation and ecological differentiation.

The islands have been a scientific boon to researchers over the decades because they are not only home to many diverse and endemic species, but their proximity to the urban centers and the universities of California make them amazingly accessible. It’s been suggested that if Darwin had landed on the Channel Islands, he arguably could have come up with the theory of natural selection off of California, rather than happening upon the Galapagoes A 2019 book about the islands, titled North America’s Galapagos: The Historic Channel Islands Biological Survey recounts the story of a group of researchers, naturalists, adventurers, cooks, and scientifically curious teenagers who came together on the islands in the late 1930s to embark upon a series of ambitious scientific expeditions never before attempted.

The Channel Islands are renowned for their high levels of endemism — species that are found nowhere else in the world. This is a hallmark of island biogeography, as isolated landmasses often lead to the development of unique species. Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was one of the first extensive efforts to describe this phenomenon. For example, the Channel Islands are home to the island fox (Urocyon littoralis), a small carnivore found only here. Each island has its own subspecies of the fox, differing slightly in size and genetics, a striking example of adaptive radiation — where a single species gives rise to multiple different forms in response to isolation and environmental pressures.

Bird life on the islands also demonstrates significant diversity and endemism. Similar to the finches of the Galapagos, the Channel Islands provide habitat for unique species like the Santa Cruz Island Scrub Jay and the San Clemente House Finch, each adapted to specific niches within their respective islands.

The impacts of invasive species on island ecosystems, another critical aspect of island biogeography, are also evident in the Channel Islands. The islands have been an excellent laboratory for the practice of conservation and human-driven species recovery. For example, efforts to remove invasive species, like pigs and rats, and the subsequent recovery of native species, like the island fox, provide real-time insights into ecological restoration and the resilience of island ecosystems.

Kelp forest at the Channel Islands (Photo: National Park Service)

These efforts at conservation and species recovery extend beyond the island fox. In 1997, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified that 13 plant species native to the northern Channel Islands in California were in dire need of protection under the Endangered Species Act. This need arose due to several decades of habitat degradation, primarily attributed to extensive sheep grazing. Additionally, these plants faced competition from invasive grass species and the detrimental impact of soil erosion caused by non-native feral pigs rooting in the area.

In response to this ecological crisis, measures were taken to mitigate these threats. By the year 2000, sheep grazing on the islands was completely halted, and by 2006, a significant ecological restoration milestone was achieved with the removal of all non-native feral pigs from the islands. Parallel to these conservation efforts, in 2000, the US Fish and Wildlife Service collaborated with expert botanists and land managers to formulate a comprehensive recovery plan. This plan was designed to provide a strategic framework for the future conservation and recovery of these endangered plants, ensuring their survival and ecological restoration.

Santa Cruz Island Dudleya (Photo: National Park Service)

As a result of this program, two plants that live on California’s Channel Islands and nowhere else on earth – the Santa Cruz Island Dudleya, an attractive and fragile succulent, and island bedstraw, a rare species of flowering plant in the coffee family – were brought back, helping these unique and valuable plants recover from near extinction due to habitat loss. In 2023, the two plants were declared fully recovered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to the collaborative efforts of conservation partners and no longer require Endangered Species Act protections. coincidentally, the delisting of the two species took place in the same year as the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species act, passed by the Nixon administration in 1973.

The Channel Islands of California, with their unique and varied ecosystems, are a microcosm of the larger processes at play in island biogeography worldwide. The studies conducted on the islands not only deepen our understanding of unique ecosystems but also contribute significantly to our broader understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes on islands globally. They serve as a crucial reminder of the delicate balance of island ecosystems and the importance of conservation efforts to protect these unique environments and their inhabitants.

The Enigmatic Island Fox: A Tale of Survival and Conservation

In the rugged, isolated beauty of California’s Channel Islands, a small, curious creature scampers through the chapparal, playing a crucial role in the archipelago’s ecosystem. It’s the Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis), a species that encapsulates both the vulnerability and resilience of island ecosystems.

The island fox only lives on six of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of southern California–they are found nowhere else on Earth. Each island population is recognized as a separate endemic or unique subspecies. This divergence is a classic case of allopatric speciation, where geographic isolation leads to the evolution of different species.

The Island Fox, notably smaller than its mainland cousin, the gray fox, stands as a striking example of insular dwarfism – a phenomenon found in the theory of island biogeography where species evolve smaller sizes on islands. It should be noted that island biogeography, which explores the distribution of species and ecosystems in island environments, finds a perfect case study in the Channel Islands. For instance, the discovery of remains of the pygmy mammoth (Mammuthus exilis) on Santa Rosa Island provides a classic example of how isolation and limited resources can lead to significant evolutionary changes.

Skeleton of the Pygmy Mammoth at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

The Island Fox is known for its curiosity and intelligence. It’s primarily nocturnal but is often active during the day, especially when tourists and their food are around. Visitors to the most popular Channel Islands like Anacapa, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz may regularly see the foxes scurrying around campsites looking for scraps of food. They readily approach humans, perhaps an unfortunate sign that they have become too habituated to humans. The island fox is an omnivore, with a diet ranging from fruits and insects to small mammals and birds. Its diet shifts with the seasons, reflecting the availability of different food sources on the islands.

Island Foxes typically form monogamous pairs during the breeding season, which runs from January to March. The female gives birth to a litter of two to four pups around 50 days after mating. These pups are weaned and ready to fend for themselves after about 9 months, reaching sexual maturity at 10 months. The average lifespan of an Island Fox in the wild is 4 to 6 years, though they can live longer in captivity.

Island Fox on the Channel Islands (Photo: Erik Olsen)

The story of the Island Fox’s conservation is one of remarkable success but also a stark reminder of the fragility of island ecosystems. In the late 1990s, the Island Fox population faced a catastrophic decline, primarily due to predation by golden eagles and a disease outbreak. By 2004, fewer than 100 foxes remained on some islands, leading to their classification as an endangered species.

Island Fox looking for food scraps. (Photo: Erik Olsen)

A concerted effort by conservationists, including the National Park Service and the Nature Conservancy, initiated a recovery program. This program involved breeding foxes in captivity, vaccinating them against diseases, and relocating golden eagles while reintroducing bald eagles, a natural competitor. Remarkably, by 2016, the Island Fox populations had bounced back sufficiently for them to be removed from the endangered species list, marking one of the fastest recoveries of an endangered species in U.S. history.

The Island Fox’s journey from the brink of extinction to a conservation success story is a testament to the power of dedicated conservation efforts. It also highlights the importance of maintaining ecological balance in sensitive environments like the Channel Islands.

Salt to Salvation: The Desalination Revolution in California’s Drought Battle

Visibly low water conditions at Shasta Lake in Shasta County, on October 13, 2022.
Andrew Innerarity / California Department of Water Resources.

Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink.

— Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Desalination, the process of turning seawater into potable water, is gaining traction as a viable solution to California’s perennial drought issues. The Golden State, with its sprawling 850-mile coastline and notorious aridity, is primed for desalination to play a pivotal role in its water management strategies.

The mission of the Seawater Desalination Test Facility in Port Hueneme, Ventura. John Chacon / California Department of Water Resources

California’s history with droughts is long and storied, with the state experiencing some of its driest years on record recently. Traditional sources of water, such as snowpacks and reservoirs, have become increasingly unreliable due to the erratic patterns of climate change. While an atmospheric river storm in 2023 significantly eased California’s drought conditions for the time being, there is widespread concern that serious drought conditions will soon return and become the new norm.

As a response, several desalination plants have emerged along the coast. One notable example is the Carlsbad Desalination Plant in San Diego County, which is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, providing about 50 million gallons of drinking water daily.

Carlsbad Desalination Plant – Photo courtesy of Carlsbad Desalination Project

Desalination is not just a process but a symphony of advanced technologies working in concert. The most prevalent method used in California is reverse osmosis (RO). RO employs a semi-permeable membrane that allows water molecules to pass through while blocking salt and other impurities. This membrane is the linchpin of the operation, designed to withstand the high pressures necessary to reverse the natural process of osmosis where normally, water would move from a low-solute concentration to a high-solute concentration.

Reverse osmosis desalination is an energy-intensive process, one that demands a significant amount of power to be effective. At its core, the technique involves forcing seawater through a semi-permeable membrane to separate salt and other minerals, yielding fresh water. This process, however, requires substantial pressure, much higher than the natural osmotic pressure of seawater, to push the water through the membrane. Achieving and maintaining this pressure consumes a considerable amount of energy. Furthermore, the energy demands are compounded by the need for constant system maintenance and the treatment of the highly saline brine that’s left over. This energy requirement is a key challenge in making reverse osmosis desalination a more widespread solution for water scarcity, as it not only increases operational costs but also has environmental implications, especially if the energy comes from non-renewable sources.

John Chacon / California Department of Water Resources

The science behind these membranes is fascinating. They are not just filters; they are engineered at the molecular level. The membranes are typically made from polyamide, created through complex chemical reactions that result in a thin film where the magic happens. Water molecules navigate through this film via tiny pores, leaving behind salts and minerals.

This scientific marvel, however, has additional environmental challenges. Along with the vast energy needs of reverse osmosis, there are also concerns about water pollution. Brine, which is the concentrated saltwater byproduct, must be carefully managed to avoid harming marine ecosystems when it’s discharged back into the ocean.

Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant in Santa Barbara, California, plays a key role in improving water reliability and resiliency during the drought years. Florence Low / California Department of Water Resources.

Innovations continue to surge forward, aiming to make desalination more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. New approaches such as forward osmosis, which uses a natural osmotic pressure difference rather than mechanical pressure, and the use of alternative energies like solar and wind power are on the horizon. There’s also ongoing research into biomimetic membranes, inspired by nature’s own filtration systems, such as those found in the roots of mangrove trees or in the kidneys of animals.

In addition to the sprawling, successful desalination plant in Carlsbad, numerous other projects are on the way. The Doheny Ocean Desalination Project, located in Dana Point, has seen a significant increase in projected costs but is still moving forward. It’s expected to be completed by 2027 and will provide about 5 million gallons of drinking water daily to residents in Orange County.

In November, the California Coastal Commission greenlit a permit for the Monterey Bay Area Desalination Plant, a vast $330 million seawater desalination plant in Marina, a modest city of 22,500 people located roughly 15 minutes north of the more prosperous Monterey. The proposed Cal-Am desalination facility, if finalized, is set to produce 4.8 million gallons of fresh water daily.

Monterey Bay at Moss Landing, California. Photo: Erik Olsen

However, Marina’s Mayor, Bruce Delgado, stands in opposition to the project. He argues that it would alter the character of Marina and negatively impact its natural surroundings. Delgado contends that while his city would shoulder the environmental and industrial impacts of the plant, the adjacent, wealthier areas such as Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove, and Pebble Beach would enjoy most of the benefits.

As California looks to the future, the role of desalination is poised to expand. The state’s water plan includes the potential for more desalination facilities, particularly in coastal cities that are most affected by drought and have direct access to the sea. The integration of desalination technology with California’s complex water infrastructure speaks to a broader trend of marrying innovation with necessity.

The implications for drought-prone regions extend beyond just survival; they encompass the sustainability of ecosystems, economies, and communities. While desalination is not a panacea for all of California’s water woes, it represents a critical piece of the puzzle in the quest for water security in an era of uncertainty. As the technology advances, it may well become a cornerstone of how humanity adapts to a changing climate, making what was once undrinkable, a wellspring of life.

Through the Looking Glass Head: The Enigmatic World of the Barreleye Fish

The barreleye (*Macropinna microstoma*) Image: MBARI

Off the coast of California near Monterey, researchers filmed one of the most unusual creatures in the deep sea. The Barreleye fish is the kind of creature that captures the imagination and evokes wonder about what remains undiscovered in the deep ocean. Known by the scientific name Macropinna microstoma, this fascinating fish resembles something straight out of a sci-fi movie. With a transparent head and tubular eyes, the Barreleye fish navigates the dark depths of the ocean with an appearance and biology that is both stunning and biologically fascinating.

First described in 1939, the fish astonished scientists who were stunned by its unique optical anatomy. The barreleye is found in the Pacific Ocean, with sightings ranging from the coasts of California, particularly around Monterey Canyon, to the mid-Pacific near Hawaii. Most commonly, it resides between 400 to 2,500 feet below the surface—a region known as the mesopelagic or “twilight” zone. At these depths, little light penetrates, making the area a seemingly inhospitable place for most life forms. But the Barreleye fish thrives here, adapting to its surroundings in the most bizarre ways.

Its most distinctive features, and the ones that give it its name, are its transparent head and barrel-shaped eyes that are usually directed upwards. These eyes are extremely sensitive to light, which is a scarce commodity where it lives. Interestingly, the eyes are encased in a dome-shaped, transparent head. This clear cranium allows the fish to capture as much light as possible, increasing its visual field. The upward-facing eyes allow the Barreleye fish to see silhouettes of prey or predators against the faint light filtering down from the surface. It’s like a built-in periscope for scanning the world above, allowing it to spot the bioluminescent glow of jellies or small fish that meander above it.

In 2009, researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute elucidated a longstanding mystery surrounding the barreleye. For many years, marine biologists were under the impression that these specialized eyes were immobile and only provided the fish with a limited, tunnel-vision perspective, focused solely on the waters above its transparent head. Such a constraint would significantly limit the fish’s situational awareness, making it highly dependent on what occurs directly above it for both prey detection and predator evasion.

However, a groundbreaking paper by researchers Bruce Robison and Kim Reisenbichler overturned this conventional wisdom. Their findings reveal that the eyes of the barreleye fish are not static but can actually rotate within a transparent protective shield that envelops the fish’s head. This adaptation enables the fish not only to look upwards to identify potential prey but also to focus forward, thereby expanding its field of vision and facilitating more effective foraging.

A remotely operated vehicle or ROV named Doc Ricketts (MBARI)

Robison and Reisenbichler conducted their research using footage obtained from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to investigate the barreleye fish in the deep-sea regions adjacent to Central California. Situated at depths ranging from 600 to 800 meters (approximately 2,000 to 2,600 feet) beneath the ocean’s surface, the ROVs’ cameras typically captured images of these fish in a state of immobility, floating like zeppelins with their eyes radiating an intense green hue due to the illumination provided by the ROV’s powerful lighting system. The remotely captured video data also divulged a hitherto undocumented anatomical feature—namely, that the eyes of the barreleye fish are encased in a transparent, fluid-filled protective shield that encompasses the upper region of the fish’s cranial structure.

The implications of this discovery extend beyond mere academic curiosity. Understanding the unique visual system of the barreleye fish provides crucial insights into the mechanisms of evolutionary adaptation. It showcases how even seemingly minor anatomical modifications can result in significant survival advantages in the highly competitive and challenging marine environment. Moreover, it challenges our existing perceptions and encourages scientists to revisit and reevaluate other long-standing assumptions in marine biology.

The Barreleye isn’t just a pair of eyes swimming around in the ocean, though. It has a suite of other adaptations to its challenging environment. For instance, it has large, flat fins that let it remain almost motionless in the water, conserving energy in an environment where every calorie counts. Also, it’s got a small mouth. This mouth is adapted to consume tiny organisms, like zooplankton, that are abundant in the deep ocean. So while the Barreleye may not be the apex predator down there, it has carved out its own unique niche.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in Moss Landing, California

The fish also has what are called “lateral line canals” that are filled with fluid and are sensitive to changes in pressure. This allows the Barreleye to detect movement in the water, effectively giving it a “sixth sense” to sense prey or predators around it. Imagine you’re trying to navigate a pitch-black room—every little bit of extra information helps.

Despite its enigmatic nature, we know relatively little about its breeding habits, lifespan, or social interactions. Part of the reason is the difficulty in studying a creature that lives in such an extreme environment. Researchers have managed to capture only a few specimens, and observations in their natural habitat are relatively scarce.

While the Barreleye fish might look like a figment of a wild imagination, it’s very much a real creature, adeptly adapted to its harsh surroundings. It represents the myriad ways life can evolve to meet the unique challenges of extreme environments. As we continue to explore the depths of our oceans, who knows what other fantastical creatures we might find? But for now, the Barreleye fish remains one of the most compelling arguments for the strange and wondrous biodiversity hidden in the ocean’s twilight zone—a testament to the endless creativity of evolution.

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