The Alaska Coastal Temperate Rainforest is home to a complex web of ecological interactions that allows the organisms within it to thrive. Each participates in a web of life and death that keep the surrounding landscape healthy year after year.
![]() Ecosystems Certain species in an ecosystem drive interactions between ocean, river, and land. Just as an arch would collapse with out the keystone, ecological communities, too, would fail without these all-important animals. ![]() Geological Formations Glaciation, deglaciation, volcanic activity, and tidal erosion all shaped Sitka's changing shoreline and landforms. Digging into the soil, geologists can tell how the landscape has changed over the millennia. ![]() The intertidal zone and estuarine areas comprise nearly half (44%) of the park's total acreage. Water-bird feeding, salmon migration, and provision of essential clam bed habitat are just a few of the important functions of the park's intertidal zone. Learn more about Sitka's intertidal zone. ![]() NPS photo by Andrea Willingham Stream Ecology A healthy ecosystem comprises an interconnected web of organisms. Adequate water flow and direct sunlight are only two of the elements necessary to maintain sufficient energy production for life. Read more about the Indian River and stream ecology. |
![]() |
![]() |
Last updated: February 21, 2019