jstalker5's Journal

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/188841750

After seeing many observations of various mushrooms, I've begun to keep my eyes peeled for mushrooms as I walk through forested areas. Lucky for me, this large clump of Chicken of the Woods was not hard to spot. In fact, it was quite large and spanned about three feet vertically up the tree trunk. It turns out, this mushroom is a very common one to find and also edible! The mushroom gets its name for its chicken-like texture and flavor. This mushroom, "grows on hardwoods and conifers, depending on the species, and causes brown rot in the host tree. They are both parasitic, attacking the host when it is still alive, and saprobic, living on dead and decomposing organic wood"(Jenny). While Chicken of the Woods is a popular mushroom to forage, it also possesses some fascinating medicinal qualities. A report published this year states, "Many studies have demonstrated that the extracts obtained from this mushroom and some of their components have positive effects on human health. They have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties and regulate human metabolism and digestive processes"(Adamska). There's truly more to this mushroom than its fascinating structure and striking size. If you're on the hunt for some they can be,"easily recognized by their large clusters of overlapping brackets, and bright yellow-orangish colors. The colors fade as the mushroom grows older"(Jenny). I did not forage any of the mushrooms during my observation, but upon learning about them I'm interested in cooking them up and reaping the potential benefits.

Adamska, Iwona. “The Possibility of Using Sulphur Shelf Fungus (Laetiporus sulphureus) in the Food Industry and in Medicine-A Review.” Foods (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 12,7 1539. 5 Apr. 2023, doi:10.3390/foods12071539

Jenny. “Chasing the Chicken of the Woods (Facts, Identification, and Recipes).” Mushroom Appreciation, 5 May 2023, www.mushroom-appreciation.com/chicken-of-the-woods.html. Accessed 25 October 2023.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/188332087

This lonely bull kelp caught my eye. Unfortunately, this particular bull kelp was looking a bit sad and floating all alone. I'm always amazed to come upon a grouping of bull kelp because they are seemingly never ending. They're usually in a large clump, with flowing tails of seaweed extending from their tips and wavering with the flow of the water. Bull kelp has traditionally been harvested by Alaska Natives and is currently at the forefront of a booming seaweed economy. As climate change continues to impact fisheries, seaweed farming and harvesting enter the picture as a sustainable and nutritious option. The Washington Post reported that, “'It’s one of the first regenerative industries based on restoration, conservation and mitigation, rather than extraction of finite resources,” said Lankard, who is Eyak Athabaskan"'(Eilperin). It's refreshing to learn how sustainable seaweed farming can be. I became intrigued about bull kelp when I saw Barnacle Foods products in the grocery store. The Juneau-based company creates a variety of sauces, salsa, and fun condiments made with seaweed and bull kelp; all of which receive my stamp of approval. The seaweed farming industry has massive potential, but for Alaska Natives, there's a persisting problem. Alaska Natives receive no preference in maritime permitting despite their history of subsistence practices. Eilperin writes, "Anyone involved in commercial fishing or a large operator, Lankard argued, has an automatic advantage"(Eilperin). Seaweed farming is a double-edged sword between a soon-to-be booming sea farming economy and a fight for Alaska Native rights.

Eilperin, Juliet. “Alaska’s Newest Gold Rush: Seaweed.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 3 Aug. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/interactive/2023/alaska-kelp-farming/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2023.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/187447144

I took a trip to Snail City for this week's Creature Feature. Before this day, I did not refer to this rocky shore as Snail City, but boy did I feel outnumbered... by the thousands. As I made my way closer to the water to see what else I could find, I kept seeing snails! Every rock was covered with the slimy creatures. I had never seen so many snails in one place! The majority of the snails I encountered were tiny and dark colored snails, many resembling my Creature Feature from several weeks ago: The Mask Limpet. I was overwhelmed by the number of snails before me, but a bright orange shell caught my eye. I took a closer look and was pleased to discover what I now know to be a Wrinkled Amphissa. This type of snail grows to be three centimeters long and is, "mainly a scavenger on dead flesh and dead algae, which it uses its long siphon to find"(Cowles). The color of this snail was a bold contrast against the brown rock and crusty barnacles. These snails come in a variety of colors such as, “pink, orange, mauve, yellow, yellowish green, or mottled with brown”(Cowles). I’m surprised that this is my first encounter with a Wrinkled Amphissa, but now I know what to look for when I am exploring rocky shorelines. It’s possible I hadn’t encountered one before because these snails are typically underwater and easily obscured by plants, rocks, or moving water.

Cowles, Dave. “Amphissa Columbiana Dall, 1916.” Invertebrates of the Salish Sea, 2007, inverts.wallawalla.edu/Mollusca/Gastropoda/Prosobranchia/Order_Neogastropoda/Suborder_Rachiglossa/Family_Columbellidae/Amphissa_columbiana.html.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186481290

As I trudged through the soggy forest searching for this week's observation, I spotted a bunch of tiny orange speckles and took a closer look. This Carpet Pelt Lichen was growing on the side of a tree trunk nearly at the base. I was surprised by the bold orange color which contrasted well against the dark lobes of the lichen yet was camouflaged when looking from a distance. In my efforts to procure information about this eye-catching lichen, I came across many sources calling the same lichen by various different names. It turns out, that is because this lichen, "has many common names; felt lichen, frog pelt, undulating pelt, and carpet pelt to name a few. The funny thing is that all these pelts make one think of a skin, and they certainly look the part, but the pelt in Peltigera is Latin for shield"(Nelson). Learning that there are many names for similar looking lichen helped broaden my search. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that lichens aren't just interesting because they're fun shapes and intriguing to look at. Lichens are important in reducing pollutants in the air! The USDA states that, "Any heavy metals or carbon or sulfur or other pollutants in the atmosphere are absorbed into the lichen thallus. Scientists can extract these toxins and determine the levels that are present in our atmosphere"(About Lichens). Given that Southeast Alaska is filled with many different types of lichens, the superior air quality is just another reason to be grateful to live here.

“About Lichens.” U.S. Forest Service, www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/lichens/about.shtml. Accessed 6 Oct. 2023.

Nelson, Dan. “Peltigera Neopolydactyla.” 10,000 Things of the Pacific Northwest, 5 Feb. 2021, 10000thingsofthepnw.com/2021/02/04/peltigera-neopolydactyla/. Accessed 6 Oct. 2023.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/185057916#activity_identification_7ebd4f5f-d62b-4e49-a7e1-d900e869008d

While loading up my blue canoe for a paddle and a picnic I noticed a peculiar and rather slimy stowaway. This Northern Dusky Slug was sliming his way up the canoe with no intention of leaving. This slug was around two and a half inches long and was a yellowish, greenish, and brownish color mix which made him very visible against the blue canoe. I wondered how long he'd be able to hold on throughout the drive to the launching point... Never fear, I did not put my cruel thoughts to the test. I carefully removed the slug and placed him in a habitat where he could live a more fulfilling life- though unable to sail the seven seas. The Northern Dusky Slug is one of many slugs in the Dusky Arion family. These slugs are found throughout North America and, "primarily on fungi and decaying plant matter, but have also been known to consume animal feces, injured or dead insects, and algae. Because they must avoid drying out in order to survive, they are most active at night and can be found in moist leaf litter or vegetation"(Galloway). Southeast Alaska is a perfect place for slugs. It's moist and rich in vegetation for snacking on and they fill an important role in a rainforest ecosystem in helping break down plant matter. The rainforests of Alaska might be too good, though. An influx of invasive black slugs has been plaguing Alaskan gardeners and threatening to overrun populations of native slugs like the banana slug due to their ability to lay up to 150 eggs every couple of weeks(Lavrakas). The handsome yet slimy slug atop my canoe was not the invasive black slug, but perhaps if it was I wouldn't have spared him.

Works Cited
Galloway, Hazel. “Dusky Arion.” Dusky Arion | Mountain Lake Biological Station, U.Va., 28 June 2013, mlbs.virginia.edu/organism/arion_subfuscus.

Lavrakas, Dimitra. “It’s No Fun Getting Slugged in Southeast Alaska.” Juneau Empire, 21 Aug. 2023, https://www.juneauempire.com/life/its-no-fun-getting-slugged-in-southeast-alaska/. Accessed 27 Sept. 2023.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184181081

Blink and you might miss it! This little snail was a tiny surprise I discovered after picking up a random rock on the beach. Considering the moist and rocky environments I knew snails had to be frequenting the area, but I had yet to meet one in Alaska. This Mask Limpet was about the size of a cheerio and blended in with his rocky surroundings very well. At the time of our encounter, the sun was dipping behind the horizon and the tide was on its way out. Dusk was prime snail time because the Mask Limpet, "attaches to rocks and other hard surfaces; it shelters under rocks and ledges and in deep cracks and crevices during the day, and emerges at night to range more widely across the intertidal zone"(Fretwell and Starzomski). While my snail acquaintance was minuscule and I estimate was around 1 centimeter in shell diameter, these types of snails can reach upwards of 5 centimeters!

I have quite an affinity for snails and have fond memories of my former pet snails I have had throughout my life. At one point in high school, I unintentionally ended up with hundreds of tiny snails after my snails reproduced at what felt like an exponential rate. I lovingly referred to the herd of snails as Snabies, as in snail babies. At another point in my life while living in Brooklyn I took care of a snail named Louisiana Fast who was, as her name suggests, quite fast but only when captured via time-lapse video. I would not have anticipated drawing connections to various points of my life through my snail encounters and explorations, but I’m grateful for it nonetheless. The chance encounter with a Mask Limpet on the beach was not only a fun discovery but also a reminder of the other snails who I have crossed paths with throughout my life.

Fretwell, Kelly, and Brain Starzomski. “Mask Limpet • Tectura Persona.” Biodiversity of the Central Coast, 2014, www.centralcoastbiodiversity.org/mask-limpet-bull-tectura-persona.html.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182854652

While pedaling in the sunshine and soaking up the last rays of summer warmth in Juneau, I began to notice these fuzzy creatures, about 2 inches long, crossing the street. I swerved to avoid one, then another, and another. As we shared the bike lane, I feared squashing the furry pedestrians but grew curious as to their destination. Where were they crawling from and where were they heading? My initial research led me to the discovery of the Wool Bear Caterpillar which is characterized by a black fuzzy body with a brownish-redish-yellowish band around the center. These caterpillars go on to become the Isabella Tiger Moth and can be found in all of North America. The Wooly Bear, "is an active caterpillar and moves well"(Banded Woollybear Caterpillar). They sure do move well, that's for sure! However, fellow naturalists on iNaturalist suggested an alternate identification for the fuzzy folks I had found. The Spotted Tussock Moth caterpillars look very similar to the Wooly Bear but have long white hairs or tufts on their front and rear black segments. Though they look rather friendly, their small hairs can cause allergic reactions in some people mainly in the form of hives but can lead to anaphylaxis in those with extreme sensitivity (Nelson).

I didn't try my luck with petting the Spotted Tussock Moth, though. Watching them crawl around was enough for me. I was hoping to find the answer to the world's most pressing question: why did the Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar cross the road? However, my research did not provide an answer. I can only assume they were searching for food because these caterpillars feed on deciduous trees and shrubs. They must have had the same idea I had that day and were out enjoying the weather. Can't blame them!

“Banded Woollybear Caterpillar.” CaterpillarIdentification.Org - Database of North American Caterpillar
Insects, www.caterpillaridentification.org/information.php?primary_name=banded-woolly-bear-
caterpillar. Accessed 15 Sept. 2023.

Nelson, Dan. “Lophocampa Maculata (Spotted Tussock Moth).” 10,000 Things of the Pacific Northwest, 10
June 2021, 10000thingsofthepnw.com/2021/06/07/lophocampa-maculata-spotted-tussock-moth/.

Cat's Tail Moss

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182212042

Cat's Tail Moss is just one of over 20,000 species of bryophytes in the world. Bryophytes are small plants that do not have flowers or seeds, lack true roots, and "absorb water and nutrients directly through their surface tissue and transport them directly from cell to cell"(USDA 2). These plants are often found on moist forest floors, rocks, cliffs, or tree trunks and branches. Cat's Tails moss is characterized by irregularly sized branches that form hanging strands or creep over surfaces. This moss is one of the most common ones found in coastal rainforests like Southeast Alaska. The Tongass National Forest is the second largest rainforest in the world and is home to a variety of flora and fauna, many of which have been used for thousands of years for a variety of uses. While specific uses for Cat's Tail Moss seem inconclusive, mosses in general are a plentiful commodity in Alaska. Like much of the flora and fauna in Alaska, mosses have been used by indigenous people for a variety of uses. Some Alaskan Native uses for mosses include use as a menstrual pad due to its absorbency, or mashed and mixed with breast milk then applied to the eyes to ease pain and treat blindness (Garibaldi 144-149). When looking around in the rainforests of Southeast Alaska, mosses are not hard to find but it's remarkable just how many varieties there are.

Garibaldi, Ann. Medicinal Flora of the Alaska Natives: A Compilation of Knowledge from Literary Sources of
Aleut, Alutiiq, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Inupiat, Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Yupik Traditional Healing
Methods Using Plants. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Environment and Natural Resources Institute,
University of Alaska Anchorage, 1999.

USDA. “Mosses and Liverworts of the National Forests in Alaska - US Forest Service.” US Forest Service,
Sept. 2008, www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_069239.pdf.