“As if I was a tree….”

Heidi Pearson*

By GRID-Arendal

October 3^rd, 2018

For many people, whales and dolphins are important and there’s a lot of awareness about the threats they face. But understanding the importance of some of the less glamourous species like phytoplankton is more difficult.

As a marine biologist from the United States working in Norway, my interests have shifted from the largest to the smallest creatures by an unusual route.

Being born and raised in the land-locked state of Iowa, people often ask me how I came to be a marine biologist. As it turns out, my hometown of Des Moines had an excellent high school marine biology program. Each student got to take care of his or her own saltwater aquarium. We got SCUBA certified and dove in the Florida Keys.

Photographing striped dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece.

Tracking a tagged dusky dolphin off Kaikoura, New Zealand.

However, my interest in the natural world started earlier than that. When I was 15, I embarked on a month-long adventure to East and Central Africa. The highlight was seeing the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park in what was then Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As I observed this peaceful species for the one hour that was allowed, I had a life-changing experience. A young gorilla walked over my feet, totally oblivious to me, as if I was a tree. From then on, I was hooked on learning more about the behavior and conservation of not only mountain gorillas but other wildlife.

As an undergraduate at Duke University, I had opportunities to explore my interests in both primatology and marine biology by studying lemur and dolphin behavior. Africa was calling me back, though, so I also studied in Kenya where I focused on wildlife conservation and management.

In graduate school, I focused on marine mammal behavior and ecology at Texas A&M University. For my Master’s work, I examined territorial male mating behavior in Prince William Sound, Alaska. My PhD was on dusky dolphin behavior and socio-ecology in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. Even today, I’m fortunate to have opportunities to continue my research on these intriguing species.

A dusky dolphin off Kaikoura, New Zealand with our video camera tag. Credit: Chris Pearson

During the three years that passed between earning my PhD and starting my current position at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), I had some important stepping stones. I was the Assistant Director of the Whale Center of New England in Gloucester, MA, which gave me knowledge of non-profit operations and was my first opportunity to conduct humpback whale research. However, I missed the university setting and wanted to teach and so I accepted a lecturer position at Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York. These experiences armed me with the additional expertise needed for an academic position in teaching and research. When the faculty position arose at UAS in Juneau, I couldn’t pass it up.

Chena joins a whale research trip off Juneau, Alaska.

Leaving the harbor in Albufiera, Portugal, to study dolphins with the AIMM research group.

Juneau is an ideal place for a marine biologist. Situated along the famous Inside Passage, Juneau has one of the highest concentrations of marine mammal biodiversity in the world. The glaciers feed abundant nutrients to the fjords which attract humpback whales, killer whales, Dall’s porpoise, harbor porpoise, Steller sea lions, and harbor seals.

This dynamic region is also on the front lines of climate change. While living in Juneau for the past seven years, I have witnessed the noticeable retreat of glaciers. These observations piqued my interest in blue carbon, a concept which refers to the ways in which marine life can trap carbon and therefore aid in climate change mitigation. My particular interest is in how the feeding behavior of marine mammals, such as whales and sea otters, can help phytoplankton and kelp to grow. Like plants on land, these photosynthetic marine organisms absorb carbon dioxide. More whales and sea otters mean increased carbon dioxide absorption, which can aid in combating climate change. In essence, conservation of these species can be a powerful strategy for mitigating climate change.

While I have a wealth of scientific training and research experience, one missing component is knowledge of how to effectively translate science into communication and policy. This is what brought me here to GRID-Arendal to work with Steven Lutz and the Blue Carbon Programme. As a Fulbright Scholar to Norway, I aim to “make science matter” by learning strategies for communicating blue carbon science to the public and policy makers.