Prince William Sound and Copper River Ecosystem, Biological and
Ecological Resources, 1991 Keywords: Geologic Characteristics
(An excerpt from Prince William Sound / Copper River / North
Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem) Assessment of an area's biological and
ecological resources is fundamental to their stewardship and
scientific understanding. Ecological importance can be
attributed to all organisms with or without economic value, but
usually applies to those species that support the production of
other economically important species or are designated as
sensitive, threatened, or endangered species. Legislation has
classified certain species within this ecosystem as threatened,
endangered, or sensitive: all whales, osprey, Peale's peregrine
falcon, Dusky Canada goose, trumpeter swan, Mantague Island
tundra vole, Fish Creek chum salmon, northern pike, Wheeler
Creek king salmon and the northern sea lion. Other animals,
notably seabirds like kittiwakes and fork-tailed storm petrels,
are abundant and play a major part i