Bear Lake Geologic Background: Endemism

Endemism

Endemism describes species that are native to a particular geographic area and are not naturally found anywhere else in the world. Endemism usually occurs in areas that are isolated in some way, but it can occur in small areas, such as around springs. Bear Lake has a high rate of endemism, in its ostracodes, fish and snails, because of the unique water chemistry contributed by the springs. When the Bear River was diverted to the lake, the chemistry changed enough to cause the extinction of many of the endemic species. Others, less sensitive to the chemical changes, survive but are at risk from predation by non-native fish.

Four endemic fish species are found in the lake today: the Bonneville cisco, Bonneville whitefish, Bear Lake whitefish, and the Bear Lake sculpin. Several endemic ostracodes have been identified from fossils, but no living specimens have been found by our trawls. These "missing" ostracode species may have become extinct after the Bear River diversion started in AD 1912, or may occupy very small habitats today, which we failed to sample.

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