Leschper: Ike's wrath felt by ecosystems in South Texas

Published: Sunday, September 21, 2008

When fast-moving wildfires aided by high winds scorched more than a million acres of the Panhandle in spring 2006, the immediate outlook for wildlife was bleak. Large swaths of diverse habitat, including some of the best game bird territory in the nation, were swallowed up by flames.

More than two years later, the long-term forecast continues to improve and the future looks bright for most of the affected area. The ecosystems that have relied on fire for thousands of years in their never-ending cycles bounced back, thanks to nutrients the blazes infused into the soil. Wildlife such as quail, pheasants and turkeys also have repopulated areas with new growth.

Though the event was catastrophic in the beginning, it had beneficial after-effects.

The same can't be said for diverse and fragile ecosystems in Southeast Texas that were waterlogged when Hurricane Ike roared ashore. The massive storm brought with it a surge of water strong enough to move five-ton granite boulders that line jetties 200 miles away in the Coastal Bend, and the impact on Galveston and the surrounding area was devastating for all creatures. Barrier islands and wetland areas that normally provide protection from a moderate rise in gulf water levels were overcome, and aquatic dwellers of all shapes and sizes were greatly affected by the amount of water that rushed in.

Galveston Bay is the largest estuary on the Texas coast, a fertile sanctuary for an amazing number of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles that thrive on the positive effects of living in saltwater areas that also are tickled by fresh water flows. However, a massive inflow of saltwater will have wide-ranging impacts on this overall environment, some of which won't be known for years.

Jim Sutherlin, superintendent at the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson County, said the ecosystems in the Southeast affected by Ike are fraught with uncertainty, but this isn't the first time the area has been affected by a big storm.

"Wildlife impacts to everything that doesn't fly will be significant like it was back in the early 1960s with Hurricane Carla (which made landfall between Port O'Connor and Port Lavaca)," Sutherlin said in a news release. "I expect a great reduction in reptiles and amphibians, particularly alligators, but also snakes, frogs, all the things that move on the ground in the coastal plains. We need to assess the full impacts, and that will take some time.


The immediate impact of Ike is demoralizing for hundreds of thousands of people directly affected and haunting for the rest of the world. Livelihoods that had been built up over decades through hard work and determination were obliterated in the blink of an eye, leaving only bits and pieces as fickle reminders of how quickly life can be turned upside down.

Soon the impetus will be placed on rebuilding and though the future is a roiling uncertainty, life for coastal residents - and others inland - may someday be similar to the time before Ike made an unforgettable entrance.

However, when it comes to the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems, biologists and other wildlife researchers are asking one big question: How much more can they take?

For more information on state ecosystems and for a complete list of fish consumption advisories and bans, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us.