North Atlantic to the Pacific

A Connecting Current

Walking through North Atlantic to the Pacific, guests glimpse the aquatic life that flourishes in starkly different habitats. The chilly Sea Cliffs habitat is reminiscent of Maine's coastal islands, where colonies of seabirds build burrows and nests to breed each year. The lush Kelp Forest, a habitat found a world away on the West Coast of the U.S., houses sea stars, rockfish and sharks among the swaying fronds. Finally, the gray and green hues of the previous exhibits give way to the Pacific Coral Reef's burst of color with damselfish, tangs and anemonefish darting between the rocks. Despite the distances separating these environments on Earth, they are tied together by the water cycling through them.

Water moves through the ocean at a slow, steady pace, driven by changes in temperature and salinity. It warms and grows saltier in the tropics as the sun's intense rays cause more evaporation. Off the east coast of North America, wind pushes the balmy, briny Gulf Stream water northward to Iceland and northern Europe. The dense, salty water cools at these latitudes, sinking into the depths and traveling south toward Antarctica. In the darkness, the water picks up nutrients from falling marine snow—the leftovers of food and waste falling from the surface.

From here, the current redirects and branches into various Pacific basins, rising to the surface as coastal winds push warmer surface water offshore. This rising, known as upwelling, brings rich sustenance to ecosystems nearby and supports intricate food webs. Eventually, the water journeys west, slipping past Africa and entering the Atlantic to start the cycle over again. North Atlantic to the Pacific highlights some of the ecosystems on this watery trek, letting guests marvel at all the life fueled by these currents.

Soaring, Swimming and Strutting

The islands of northeast North America and coasts of Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard play host to colonies of breeding seabirds each year. Plankton and fish flourish in the coastal waters, consuming the nutrients that accumulate in the ocean's upper layers during the dark winter months. It's a perfect setting for puffins, razorbills and guillemots to forage for themselves and their young. Those in the Sea Cliffs habitat dive through chilly water and swim between artificial blades of brown algae before returning to the rocky shelves. Guests observing the birds' underwater acrobatics might also hear their growls from the live habitat microphone or the pre-recorded soundscapes pouring from overhead speakers.

Alcids: Avian Meets Aquatic

Three species of seabird paddle through Sea Cliffs: Atlantic puffins, black guillemots and razorbills.

Puffins, razorbills and guillemots feed primarily on fish like sand lance, herring and capelin—important species in dozens of marine food chains. Some of these fishes have shifted their ranges, searching for colder water as ocean temperatures have risen. These species are also sought after for human consumption, fish oil and fishmeal, so overfishing is of concern. These combined factors make it harder for alcids to find enough food for themselves and their young and place their populations at risk.

A Blue, Green and Brown World

Leaving the North Atlantic behind, guests move to the other side of North America, splashing down into the Kelp Forest of the West Coast. Despite the sunshine and summery weather parts of the West Coast are known for, the water here is colder—a chilly 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit—since it mixes with water rising from deeper ocean basins. Guests may feel the chill coming from the acrylic, just like at Sea Cliffs, as they search for swell sharks and a California moray eel hiding among the rocks.

The shallow, temperate and sub-polar waters of the West Coast are immensely productive habitats, home to hundreds of species. Most of these species rely on one group of organisms: kelp. Kelp are types of brown macroalgae capable of creating enormous swaths of underwater forests, with the largest species erupting toward the water's surface from depths of 150 feet. Thriving on nutrient-rich water, kelp can grow at rates of 1 to 2 feet per day, becoming towering structures that nourish and house invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals. Although the kelp swaying in the Kelp Forest habitat is artificial, it shades and shelters more than 20 species equally well.

Bright, Vibrant, Beautiful

On this journey's last stop, guests look in on the bustling Pacific Coral Reef. Just as kelp forests support coastal ecosystems in temperate and sub-polar regions, coral reefs like this are biodiversity beacons in tropical waters. Much like the Building habitat in Surviving Through Adaptation, Pacific Coral Reef houses live coral, albeit of the soft variety. Their colonies resemble fans or small trees in structure and subtly wave in the water. Although they do not produce rock-like material like stony corals do, newly settled and thriving soft corals assist in establishing reefs. They are attractive food for crustaceans and small fish, luring them to an area and helping the reef expand. While viewing the reef, guests should look for coral colonies establishing themselves across the rocky foundation, as well as hidden brittle stars, anemones and a host of colorful fishes.

Coral reefs are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth ... and yet, they are found in areas with clear, nutrient-poor water. The corals' symbiotic algae—zooxanthellae—can only photosynthesize if light levels are high enough; nutrient-rich water tends to be too cloudy. As such, other reef species must compete over the resources carried on those cycling ocean currents. Species adapt and evolve to unique niches, resulting in the habitat's iconic diversity. This diversity hinges on healthy coral, so ocean acidification, polluted water quality and loss of other keystone species in the environment are factors of growing concern.