Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem

By Patricia Newman

A Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book
A Green Earth Book Award Winner
This up-close look at a fascinating scientific discovery highlights the critical role predators such as sea otters play in keeping ecosystems healthy.
In Elkhorn Slough, an inlet on the California coast, seagrass grows healthy and strong in the shallow water. This healthy seagrass baffled marine biologist Brent Hughes. The scientist expected this estuary to be overrun with algae, causing the seagrass to die. Why was the seagrass thriving?
As Brent investigated, signs pointed to an unexpected player helping to keep the seagrass healthy: sea otters! What do these top predators have to do with an aquatic grass at the opposite end of the food chain? Brent's amazing discovery gave scientists insight into the delicate balance of ecosystems. Follow science in action as Brent conducts the research that led to this major discovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512438840

Patricia Newman

Patricia Newman wants us all to know we are part of nature. As a Robert F. Sibert Honor recipient, she shows us how our actions ripple around the world, empowers us to find our own connections to nature, and encourages us to use our imaginations to act on behalf of our communities. Patricia likes to think of her books as a contribution that helps make the world a better place for the next generation. Her nonfiction titles have received multiple starred reviews, Orbis Pictus Recommended Awards (NCTE), Green Earth Book Awards, several Eureka! Awards from the California Reading Association, and most have been included in the Bank Street College's Best Books of the Year lists. To learn more, visit her website at patriciamnewman.com or connect with her on social media.

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Reviews for Sea Otter Heroes

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sea Otter Heroes has an interesting story to tell. Brent Hughes uses the scientific method to solve a coastal mystery. Why was the sea grass in California’s Elkhorn Slough (pronounced Slew) flourishing when it should have been dead or covered with slimy algae. The farms in the area used pesticides which ran off into the slough and promoted algae growth. He tried again and again to determine why. He began from the bottom up as scientists usually do, but eventually, he used data from a tour boat captain and began to look top down, specifically, the Sea Otters. After many tests and experiments, Brent came to the following conclusion. It turns out that otters eat crabs that eat sea hares that eat algae growing on the grass. Because algae blocks sea grass photosynthesis, the expectation that the sea grass would die does not happen. When more otters eat more crabs, more sea hares survive to eat more algae, resulting in healthier sea grass—a process called trophic cascade. This same process was evident in Yellowstone when the wolves were brought back and the ecosystem became healthier.

The book is not for young children as there is a lot of text and detail, but certainly middlegrade students studying ecosystems would get a lot out of this book. The photographs add so much to the book and make it easier to understand. A good book to have in school and public libraries. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I learned so much about otters! This is a super informative book with delightful otter photos. It's a tiny bit dry, but not too bad and would be great for a school project.