One of the things that caught my attention about this radio story was that it was aimed at broadening our notions of what an ecosystem is. While much of the media’s attention is still on the charismatic megafauna, other less obvious and less beloved elements are also of vital importance.
When was the last time you had a discussion about the importance of parasites? In addition to shedding light on an oft neglected topic, this is also a great example of science being presented in a way that the rest of us can understand.
The photo above is a jar of fluid-preserved fish specimens from the UW Fish Collection at the Burke Museum. These fish were collected in Hood Canal in 1991 and are an example of how even parasites from the past can be studied.
https://www.kuow.org/stories/parasites-get-a-bad-rap-but-play-an-important-role
