Serendipity: An Ecologist's Quest to Understand Nature

A simple twist of fate brought researcher James Estes to the Aleutian Islands to study sea otters in 1970.  While there, he found that sea otters are a "keystone species" and that their presence is vital to a healthy kelp forest ecosystem. The presence of sea otters controls the urchin populations, which left unchecked can decimate a kelp forest.

Serendipity tells the story of Estes's life as a naturalist and his interest in exploring the role of top-level predators. Part memoir, and part natural history, Serendipity raises thoughtful questions about our relationship with the natural world.

Join Estes as he discusses his new book and describes the serendipitous events that drove his career and research findings.

Book signing immediately following the lecture. Limited supplies of Serendipity are available in our Ocean Discovery Shop.

Speaker: James Estes