Rocky Intertidal Monitoring 2004–2013 Trends and Synthesis Report for Redwood National and State Parks
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Rocky Intertidal Monitoring 2004–2013 Trends and Synthesis Report for Redwood National and State Parks Natural Resource Report NPS/KLMN/NRR—2017/1469 ON THE COVER Ochre sea star (top left), Whelks (top right), Researchers sampling the intertidal community at Damnation Creek, Redwood National and State Parks (bottom). Photographs by: D. Lohse. Rocky Intertidal Monitoring 2004–2013 Trends and Synthesis Report for Redwood National and State Parks Natural Resource Report NPS/KLMN/NRR—2017/1469 Karah Ammann (Research Specialist), Dr. Peter Raimondi (Principal Investigator), Dr. David Lohse (Research Scientist), Nathaniel Fletcher (Research Specialist) Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Center for Ocean Health/Long Marine Lab University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95060 June 2017 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate comprehensive information and analysis about natural resources and related topics concerning lands managed by the National Park Service. The series supports the advancement of science, informed decision-making, and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series also provides a forum for presenting more lengthy results that may not be accepted by publications with page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. Data in this report were collected and analyzed using methods based on established, peer-reviewed protocols and were analyzed and interpreted within the guidelines of the protocols. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available in digital format from the Klamath Network website and the Natural Resource Publications Management website. To receive this report in a format that is optimized to be accessible using screen readers for the visually or cognitively impaired, please email [email protected]. Please cite this publication as: Ammann, K. N., P. T. Raimondi, D. P. Lohse, and N. Fletcher. 2017. Rocky intertidal monitoring: 2004–2013 Trends and synthesis report for Redwood National and State Parks. Natural Resource Report NPS/KLMN/NRR—2017/1469. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 167/138850, June 2017 ii Contents Page Figures.................................................................................................................................................... v Tables ..................................................................................................................................................viii Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ ix Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... x Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................ xii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Rocky Intertidal Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 1 Rocky Intertidal Biodiversity Surveys ........................................................................................... 2 Study Area ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 8 Long-Term Monitoring Sample Design ......................................................................................... 8 Field Log ................................................................................................................................... 8 Photoplots .................................................................................................................................. 8 Mobile Invertebrates .................................................................................................................. 9 Barnacle Clearings................................................................................................................... 10 Sea Star Counts and Sizes ....................................................................................................... 10 Surfgrass and Postelsia Transects ............................................................................................ 11 Mussel Measurement ............................................................................................................... 11 Sea Surface Temperature ......................................................................................................... 11 Biodiversity Survey ................................................................................................................. 11 Data Collection and Entry ............................................................................................................ 12 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................ 12 Results and Interpretation .................................................................................................................... 14 Field Log ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Species List and Physical Conditions ...................................................................................... 14 Shorebirds and Mammals ........................................................................................................ 16 Sea Surface Temperature .............................................................................................................. 22 Photoplots ..................................................................................................................................... 22 iii Contents (continued) Page Barnacle (Chthamalus dalli and Balanus glandula) photoplots ............................................... 29 Turfweed (Endocladia muricata) photoplots ........................................................................... 33 Rockweed (Fucus gardneri) and Dwarf Rockweed (Pelvetiopsis limitata) photoplots ................................................................................................................................ 33 California Mussel (Mytilus californianus) photoplots............................................................. 33 Power Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 38 Mobile Invertebrates ..................................................................................................................... 40 Barnacle Clearings........................................................................................................................ 57 Sea Star Plots ................................................................................................................................ 59 Black Katy Chiton ........................................................................................................................ 65 Mussel Measurements .................................................................................................................. 65 Surfgrass and Sea Palm Transects ................................................................................................ 68 Regional Comparisons.................................................................................................................. 69 Biodiversity Surveys .................................................................................................................... 69 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 73 Sea Star Wasting Disease ............................................................................................................. 75 References ............................................................................................................................................ 77 iv Figures Page Figure 1. Map of northern California showing