Rocky Intertidal Ecological Monitoring in Channel Islands National Park California 1986-1987. Channel Islands National Park Natural Science Reports

摘要

Rocky intertidal communities were monitored at 11 locations on four islands in Channel Islands National Park. Eight of these monitoring sites were new in 1985. High and mid-intertidal zones are monitored each spring and fall using permanent photoquadrats. Permanent black abalone plots were established in 1985 to monitor these economically important species. Photoquadrat data show seasonal fluctuations in acorn barnacles, rockweed and turfweed. Data since 1982 from Anacapa Island show a major decline in turfweed cover after the 1993 El Nino. Populations have not returned to pre-El Nino levels. Disturbance from an accidental barge grounding on Santa Barbara Island is providing an opportunity to document natural response to years after experimental trampling and scraping quadrats at Anacapa Island in mussel and rockweed zones. Damage is still apparent more than three years after experimental trampling and scraping quadrats at Anacapa Island in mussel and rockweed zones.