Dardanelle Trail Is Upgraded to Create a Portion of the California Coastal Trail by Jenna Kinghorn

BETWEEN the TIDES

Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve December 2012 Dardanelle Trail is Upgraded to Create a Portion of the California Coastal Trail by Jenna Kinghorn

The California Coastal Trail (CCT) now officially runs through Fitzgerald Marine Reserve (FMR). The CCT is a network of trails intended to stretch The paths are designed along California’s 1200 miles of coast. The paths are designed to be accessible for all members of the public, including hikers, bikers, wheelchair riders, and to be accessible for all equestrians. Planning for the CCT began in 1972. In 2001 the state legislature members of the public, refocused on completing the trail, and the CCT’s web page (http://www.califor- including hikers, bikers, niacoastaltrail.info/cms/pages/main/index.html) indicates the network of trails is now more than half complete. wheelchair riders, and equestrians.… the In a 2003 report to the state legislature the California Coastal Commission (CCC) listed as one of its goals to “work with San Mateo County and private landowners to design and construct a trail on network of trails is now the landward portion of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.” It took several years to break ground, in part more than half complete because the planned “improvements” met with objections raised by concerned citizens. These objections included: • The proposed 14-foot width far exceeded the 3-to-4-foot width required for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility. • The planned asphalt paving, which would drain directly into San Vicente Creek and thence into the ocean, had been recently recognized as a source of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH), a contaminant harmful to mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants. ADA accessibility calls for a firm surface, but does not require paving. Furthermore, asphalt paving seemed to contradict the Master Plan for FMR, which dictates that all paths in FMR have a pervious surface that allows rainwater to percolate through. • The installation of a 60-foot-long, 12-foot-wide bridge over tiny San Vicente Creek, which has for years been spanned by a bridge about a third that size, was contentious. Public comments and a petition filed with the Coun- ty by concerned citizens resulted in some changes. The trail width was reduced to eight feet, which accommodates eques- The new bridge will span from the concrete structure in the fore- trians and pedestrians on separate sides. Instead of asphalt the ground to the concrete footing on the far side of the creek (near continued on page 3 photo's center). The small bridge on the right will be removed. California Coastal Trail Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve P.O. Box 669 Moss Beach, CA 94038 Phone: 650.728.3584 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org Board of Directors: Bob Breen Joseph Centoni Linda Ciotti Tom Ciotti, President Marsha Cohen Mary DeLong, Vice President Susan Evans Roger Hoppes Bill Kennedy Jenna Kinghorn Karen Madsen Dr. Tom Niesen Hope Suchsland, Treasurer Our Mission: To inspire the preservation of our unique intertidal environment through education and the support of research.

Newsletter Editors: Janet Pelinka Sasha Greenawalt Design and Production: Martie Sautter Sautter Graphics and Print Webmaster: New route of the California Coastal Trail through Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Sandy Emerson Geographic map: Google; map detail: Martie Sautter

To see the spectacular color of the creature photos in this newsletter, be sure to check it out on our website: http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/resources

The lowest tides this period are: The graph displayed across the page bottoms shows tides for -1.78 12/13 4:31 pm 12/11/12 to 04/27/13. Where the date appears is midnight. The -.53 12/28 4:46 pm reefs are accessible for exploring during low tides—at least 0 or -1.45 1/11 4:17 pm below. See: http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/resources and click on -.28 1/26 4:22 pm “Tides” for a more detailed tide chart. -.92 2/8 3:15 pm Good winter tides are in the afternoon, changing to morning tides -.33 3/8 2:08 pm by late March. There are almost equally low tides several days -.54 3/30 7:30 am before and several days after the noted low tide dates. -.27 4/12 6:39 am -1.38 4/27 6:26 am

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 +5 0 -2 Dec -1.78 @ 4:31 pm 2 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 California Coastal Trail from page 1

surface will be rain-permeable gravel on a geotex- The County is now working on -fi tile fabric underlayment. The County stuck with nalizing plans for revamping the parking its planned 60-by-12 foot bridge, a fiberglass lot. On November 14 neighbors and other structure which will adjoin the sidewalk along members of the public gathered at the re- North Lake Street and span from there across serve to present their comments during a the San Vicente Creek. The bridge, supported by San Mateo County Planning Commis- sion Study Session. Six of those present had attended previous meetings and spoke The bridge, supported by 12-foot-wide against a plan that called for closing North buttresses, is designed to withstand a 100- Lake Street and changing the parking lot year flood, and is being placed in a way traffic flow to one-way. They were thus sur- prised to hear from County Planner Sam that avoids sensitive cultural and natural Herzberg that that plan had been desig- California Coastal Trail signs on resources on the creek banks. nated the Preferred Alternative and was a three-foot-high post near the considered ninety percent complete, and corner of Cypress Ave and Airport they expressed concern that their previous- Street point the way to the trail

12-foot-wide buttresses, is designed to withstand ly aired objections were not addressed in under construction. a 100-year flood, and is being placed in a way this plan. Of those in at- that avoids sensitive cultural and natural resourc- tendance at the meeting, es on the creek banks. eight spoke in opposi- Construction finally began in September tion to the plan on No- 2011 to widen and regrade the existing Darda- vember 14, and no one nelle Trail footpath. This 1500-foot-long section spoke in its favor. Con- of the CCT runs from the corner of California cerns ranged from con- Street and North Lake Street, where the FMR struction of new parking parking lot and ranger station are located, over spaces having too much San Vicente Creek, and along the edge of the impact on San Vicente reserve property to Cypress Avenue. The project Creek to the proposed widens, regrades, and surfaces what was a narrow new parking lot exit dis- pedestrian-only dirt path winding through trees rupting traffic flow and and undergrowth along the inland boundary of impinging on neighbors’ privacy. the reserve grounds. A slight widening of the trail as it nears Cypress The trail will be marked by CCT signs and The County will Avenue provides space for a bench, trash bins, and has been situated to avoid an ancient midden next take the parking an information kiosk. and historical archaeological sites. There will be lot plans to the County a bench, information kiosk, and trash receptacles Board of Supervisors for near the Cypress Street end of the trail segment. approval, and then to the A handful of trees that were cut down will be re- California Coastal Com- placed by new plantings in another part of the mission for final approval reserve. and permits. Readers in- terested in following the The CCC provided $250,000 for the proj- progress of the project or ect through the Coastal Conservancy, and the in voicing their opinions County received a little over $500,000 from the should contact Angela California Department of Parks and Recreation. Chavez at the County of The work was put out to bid and awarded to Half San Mateo Planning and Moon Bay Grading and Paving. The original Building Department schedule for the project called for completion on at (650) 599-7217 or November 15, 2012, but the County now hopes [email protected]. u Work progresses on North Lake Street. to have the work complete by December 1, 2012.

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 +5 0 -2 Dec -.53 @ 4:46 pm Jan www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 3 Tidepooling Away Adventures at Carmel Point by Julie Walters

Carmel is usually thought of as a great Predominant species found here: place to get away for the weekend with beauti- • Abalone (Look for these deep in rock ful, sandy beaches. crevices) But if you take some time to explore the • Six-rayed sea stars Leptasterias hexactis rocky areas beyond • Bat stars Asterina miniata the beaches, you will • White spotted rose anemone Tealia find a colorful world lofotensis of marine life wait- • Brooding anemones Epiactis prolifera ing to be explored. • Knobby seastars (the ones in Carmel have Directions: Carmel more of a royal blue color than those seen at is approximately 95 Fitzgerald) Pisaster giganteus miles south of Half • Black Katy chiton Katherina tunicata Moon Bay. Once you pass Monterey, • Flame lined chiton Tonicella lokis Carmel Point tidepool area continue on High- • Woody chiton Mopalia lignosa way 1 south. Take • Pacific plate limpet Tectura scutum the Ocean Avenue turnoff toward • Rosy bryozoan Carmel. Driving west on Ocean • Ringed Topshell snail Calliostoma Avenue you will pass Carmel's annulatum commercial area. Just before you reach Carmel Beach City Park at • Blood Star Henricia sanguinolenta the end of the road, turn left, or • Limpets, mussels and sea urchins south, onto Scenic Road. Con- • Nudibranchs: I saw a very large (over tinue south on Scenic Road until 5" long) sea lemon, Hopkins Rose, you come to Martin Road. Park Hermissenda crassicornis, Rostanga pulchra either on Martin Road, Ocean and Cadlina modesta View Road or along the few spots • Red and white sea cucumbers Cucumaria on Scenic Road. Blood Star (Henricia sanguinolenta) miniata, Eupenctata quinquesemita How to get to the tidepools: • Colorful sponges and tunicates underneath Look for the steps going down to overhangs the beach near the intersection of • Snowy egrets Martin and Scenic. Head south, u or away from the sandy beach, • Harbor seals and toward the rocks. The best tidepooling is between Martin Road and Ocean View Street. You will need to climb over quite a few rocky boulders during your tide- Red sea cucumber (Cucumaria miniata) pooling adventure but it is worth it. This area can be a little slippery due to algae and surf grass. Waves are typically not too intense, but it's best to wear rain boots. To get the most out of your visit: Get down low and look under the low rock ledges and you’ll see Flame lined chiton (Tonicella lokis) a colorful world where a variety of species live.

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 +5 0 -2 Jan -1.45 @ 4:17 pm 4 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 Volunteer Appreciation Barbecue

A luncheon was held September 23 to honor active Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Re- serve docents. The event, organized by Linda Ciotti, was held at the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club in Princeton thanks to Carol Davies and her husband who are members of the club. Mary DeLong presided over the awards ceremony. One of the awards given each year is the ‘Ginny’ award, named for Virginia Welch, the first president of the Friends of Fitzgerald Ma- rine Life Refuge (FFMR’s original name). Ginny Kris Liang receives Jenna Kinghorn, Arpi Haleblian, Kumi Ishida organized a group of volunteers and worked with the ‘Sea Star.’ Bob Breen to establish a training program and the volunteer organization. She remained active weekends Kris can be found and on the board of directors until she passed on the beach interacting away in 2003. The first ‘Ginny’ award was given with visitors. in 2005 to Mary DeWolf Ryan. Kelly Huber received This year the ‘Ginny’ went to Betty Sills, the award with the unfor- a long-time volunteer and creative force be- tunate title of the ‘Boring hind our participation in the Fourth of July and Clam.’ Kelly was given this Pumpkin Festival Parades. Betty heads the Har- special award in honor of bor Seal Station at the reserve, training volun- her many years as an active Scott Snow and Ron Olson in serious discussion teers to assist her in educating visitors about the volunteer, and for her ser- natural history and protection of harbor seals. vice on the FFMR board of Betty is also a volunteer at the California Acad- directors. She is retiring to emy of Sciences. spend time with her new grandchild. The ‘Sea Star’ award is given to a volunteer from the year's training class. Kris Liang was giv- Many wonderful raf- en the award this year in recognition of her en- fle prizes were given, and all thusiastic participation and volunteering efforts volunteers received the tra- throughout the year. In addition to leading tours ditional annual pin for their Kris is often seen manning the ranger station and docent jacket lapels. This helping Betty at the Harbor Seal Station. Most year it was an octopus. u Betty Sills, Betty Cosgrove and Ellen Gartside

Betty Sills is presented the ‘Ginny’ by Mary DeLong. Kelly Huber receives the ‘Boring Clam.’ Jennifer Brey and Susan Evans pause to pose.

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 +5 0 -2 Jan -.28 @ 4:22 pm Feb www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 5 Creature Feature The Mussel Clump Habitat by Tom Niesen

Large beds or Mytilus californianus is able to settle clumps of the Cali- and grow in wave-exposed situations because it fornia sea mussel, attaches itself to the bedrock with stout fibers Mytilus california- made of protein called byssal threads (Figure 2). nus (Figure 1), are Byssal thread protein is produced in a special common all along gland at the base of the mussel’s foot. The pro- the open Califor- tein is secreted into a closed groove that runs the nia coast, and are length of the mussel’s foot. The long, red, pre- quite prominent at hensile foot positions the thread for attachment, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The mus- Figure 1: A mature clump of the California sea mussel, sel thrives in areas The sea mussel is ultimately its own Mytilus californianus. of high wave en- worst enemy. As the mussels grow… ergy and, indeed, its the clump becomes several mussels deep, distribution corre- and fewer mussels are attached directly sponds to the most to the bedrock.…with less and less direct exposed, wave-tossed rocky intertidal habi- attachment,…large areas of the clump are tat. Look for clumps torn away, leaving bare rock behind.…Thus in the middle tidal begins a cycle that may take seven or more zone on flat, hori- years and will end up with Mytilus back in zontal substrates. control only to grow and be torn away again. Good places to look at Fitzgerald are the outer edge of the reef between Nye’s Rock the groove opens and the protein solidifies into a Figure 2: Close up of mussel’s byssal threads. Note the and Cypress Point, stout thread. The tip of the foot shapes the end ends are attached to the rock by flattened, adhesive and Frenchmen’s of the thread into an adhesive, plate-like anchor plaques. Reef. But be care- called a plaque. The plaques are attached to the ful, as these are areas bedrock and, as the clump grows in size, to other where sleeper waves mussels in the clump. can catch you by sur- In time the mussel can monopolize the prise. Chose a day with a good low tide horizontal surfaces to the exclusion of other and a quiet ocean, and always keep an species that require attachment to the rocky eye to the sea. substrate. However, mussels are not the only Mussels reach five inches or organisms that can inhabit this habitat success- longer in length in the intertidal fully. First of all, the sea mussel is ultimately its Sea Palm zone, and up to ten inches in subtidal own worst enemy. As the mussels grow and new clumps. The shell is thick, pointed at the larval mussels recruit into the mussel clump, the anterior end, and sculptured with radiating ribs clump becomes more and more unstable. This and growth lines. The shell is often eroded or occurs because the clump becomes several mus- worn from abrasion in the clump, and frequently sels deep, and fewer mussels are attached directly colonized by barnacles and limpets. Mussels are to the bedrock. Instead, they are primarily at- filter feeders, and the average mussel filters two tached to one another by their byssal threads. to three quarts of seawater an hour when sub- The growing clump offers more and more resis- merged. They filter mainly small particulate de- tance to the pounding waves with less and less tritus and dinoflagellates. direct attachment, until large areas of the ➤

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 +5 0 -2 Feb -.92 @ 3:15 pm 6 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 clump are torn away, leaving bare zooplankton. The individual rock behind. This rock becomes stalked barnacle may reach a available for new settlement, and a length of three inches. Close in- number of new organisms move in. spection may reveal smaller bar- Thus begins a cycle that may take nacles attached to its stalk, be- seven or more years and will end up cause like the mussel, Pollicipes’ with Mytilus back in control only to larvae seek out and settle on the grow and be torn away again. Look adult animals. Large barnacles for bare patches in established mus- are relatively immune to attack sel clumps at the reserve, especially by most intertidal predators. after big winter storms. Visiting these However they are not immune patches regularly over a few years will to the crushing, lateral pressure allow you to witness the cycle of re- generated by the growth of in- cruitment and mussel clump growth. dividual mussels and that of Figure 3: Predatory Pacific sea stars,Pisaster ochra- The mussel’s upper distri- new recruits, which add to the ceus, wait for high tide to forage in the mussel clump at bution is limited by its physiologi- clump’s outward expansion. Ul- Frenchmen’s Reef. cal tolerance to exposure. In areas of timately the stalked barnacles’ consistent wave action, the mussels attachment to the substrate is can inhabit high intertidal zones suc- undercut and they are washed cessfully because of the wave splash, away. but in areas of periodic calm like Not every organism Fitzgerald, their upper limit is the falls victim to the pressure of middle intertidal zone. Another con- the expanding mussel clump. trol of the mussel is the Pacific sea The granddaddy limpet of them star, Pisaster ochraceus (Figure 3). We all, the owl limpet, Lottia gi- know from the pioneering research of gantea (Figure 5) occurs on the Dr. Robert Paine of the University of most exposed middle intertidal Washington that Pisaster’s predation rocks. This is the largest of our on the mussel is sufficient to preclude limpets, with a shell over three it from moving into and monopoliz- and a half inches in length. At ing the lower intertidal zone in the low tide large individuals of this way it can dominate the middle in- species occupy ‘home scars’ on Figure 4: The stalked barnacle,Pollicipes polymerus, tertidal zone. Thus Pisaster keeps the the rocks that fit the margin of commonly occurs amongst the mussels. lower substrate open for other spe- their shell. Studies show that cies to colonize and inhabit, allowing each limpet lives within a ‘ter- for a much more diverse assemblage ritory’ approximately the size of of organisms in the mussel clump a dinner plate, which consists habitat. of patches of closely cropped In addition to Pisaster and algae on which they graze. Stria- Mytilus, several other prominent or- tion marks in the center of the ganisms inhabit the mussel clump. illustration are grazing scrapes The stalked barnacle, Pollicipes poly- left by Lottia’s radula. Each Lot- merus (Figure 4), occurs in round tia remains in its territory and aggregations, sometimes surrounded keeps it free from other animals by mussels. This filter feeder is ca- that may move in from adjacent pable of rotating its upper body on areas including mussels from a its muscular fleshy stalk. It can thus dense mussel clump. Lottia dis- position its filtering mechanism, a courages intrusions onto its ter- series of modified legs with closely ritory by mussels by periodically placed filtering hairs, into the cur- patrolling the edge of its territo- Figure 5: A large owl limpet, Lottia gigantea, is seen at rent for the most favorable feeding ry and using the edge of its shell the top center of its territory, which it actively main- ➤ on large particles of detritus and large to actively “bulldoze” the tains against the pressure of the growing mussel clump.

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 +5 0 -2 Feb Mar www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 7 attachment plaques of would-be encroaching worms, or mussel worms, in the genus Nereis. mussels, holding them at bay. The ribbon or rubber band worms (Phy- The sea palm, Postelsia palmaeformis, an alga lum Nemertea) also thrive in the mussel clump. that is a prominent seasonal member of the These elongated, predatory night-stalkers retreat mussel clump association, is another into the protective maze of the mussel clump by organismthat often holds its own day and actively forage through it and beyond against the expanding mussel clump. at night. They are predators on a wide variety of This lovely kelp plant is a brown alga invertebrates including polychaetes, and small (Division Phaeophyta) although its crustaceans like amphipods and isopods. color is green. Sea Crabs abound in the interstices of the palms have mussel clump. Young of the familiar green lined hollow, flexible shore crab, Pachygrapsus crassipes, and the purple stems (stipes) shore crab, Hemigrapsus nudus, are common. that allow them Other common crabs are the porcelain crabs, to bend with the whose flat bodies allow them to move easily in An owl limpet, Lottia gigantea, uses its shell to dislodge the force of the waves tight quarters from which they seldom venture. byssal threads of a mussel encroaching on its territory. and backwash, and snap back The surface of the mussels’ shells also into their upright posture. Almost all sea palms serves as available habitat space. Acorn barnacles are torn away during fall and winter storms but and numerous small limpet species of the ge- return, growing from microscopic germlings on nus Lottia occur. Individuals of the aggregating the rocks in the late spring. This alga maintains anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima, and the pro- its tenuous hold on middle intertidal space via liferating anemone, Epiactis prolifera, can also be a very interesting life cycle, which I showcased found on mussel shells. a few years back in a BTT piece called the “The With this abundance of small inverte- Sea Palm’s Secret.” brate prey, it is not surprising to find that the Close scrutiny of the mussel clump will small, predatory six-rayed sea star, Leptasterias reveal a myriad of smaller, motile animals and spp., and the barnacle-eating whelk, Nucella encrusting forms that combine to form one of emarginata, are also common inhabitants of the the most diverse of all intertidal habitats. In ad- mussel clump. These are only the larger, obvious dition to the shells of the mussels, the webs cre- animals of this habitat. ated by their collective byssal fibers provide a When exploring the mussel clump habi- maze of nooks and crannies for marine inverte- tat take your time and remember that many of brates to inhabit. Young sea urchins, less than an the animals are small, an inch or less. Get on inch across, find shelter at the base of the clump. your hands and knees, get close to the mussels Worms are especially able to maneuver here, and look carefully. You will be amply rewarded and a wide variety of species occurs. Prominent for your patience. u are the polychaetes known as clam worms, pile

Close scrutiny of the mussel clump will reveal a myriad of smaller, motile animals and encrusting forms that combine to form one of the most diverse of all intertidal habitats.

Young sea urchin Six-ray star Limpet Lined shore crab Porcelain crab Barnacles

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 +5 0 -2 Mar -.3 3 @ 2:08 pm 8 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Pillar Pillar Pt Pt Nudibranch Date 6/10 10/10 1/11 4/11 6/11 10/11 12/11 4/12 6/12 9/12 Survey Acanthodoris lutea 5 4 3 1 5 3 5 Acanthodoris nanaimoensis 1 4 4 8 The third survey of 2012 Acanthodoris rhodoceras 2 1 3 2 was held on September 30 at Pil- Aegires albopunctatus 4 1 2 lar Point. The tide was a +0.3 and Aeolidia papillosa 1 5 3 1 3 8 we met on the reef at 4 in the afternoon. Those participating were Tom Ancula gibbosa 1 Ciotti, Susan Evans, Brenna Green, Cadlina luteomarginata 1 2 2 2 1 Sasha Greenawalt, Terry Goslinger, Cadlina modesta 4 3 5 10 4 1 Bill Kennedy, Jan Pelinka, Clarissa Corambe steinbergae 1 Shipman and Julie Walters. As the Cuthona abronia 2 sun set we all agreed to meet at the Cuthona albocrusta 1 2 Half Moon Bay Distillery where we Cuthona divae 4 4 enjoyed good food and learned from Cuthona flavovulta 1 Terry what a nudibranch tastes like Cuthona fulgens 1 (you will have to ask him). The day’s findings are listed in the 9/12 col- Cuthona lagunae 1 umn on the chart at left depicting Dendronotus albus 3 1 1 three years of data. This data is sent Dendronotus venustus 2 to the California Academy of Sci- Dendronotus subramosus 29 1 ences for use as a baseline for future Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda 1 comparisons. Many thanks to Julie Diaulula sandiegensis 9 17 32 34 10 24 30 16 2 1 Walters for organizing the group Dirona picta 1 and recording the statistics. Doriopsilla albopunctatus 1 5 2 2 5 2 6 3 1 Doris montereyensis 12 8 6 3 20 12 4 3 Doto amyra 9 Doto kya 1 Flabellina trilineata 2 3 Geitodoris heathi 4 1 1 2 Hallaxa chani 1 1 Hancockia californica 1 Hermissenda crassicornis 1 1 7 2 3 4 6 3 Sea Lemon, Peltodoris nobilis, one Limacia cockerelli 6 3 2 1 of the largest nudibranchs growing Peltodoris nobilis 5 17 18 3 10 13 3 3 1 to four to six inches. Sponges are the Phidiana hiltoni 15 26 29 22 5 9 4 favorite food of the Sea Lemon. photo: Scott Snow Rostanga pulchra 1 1 3 8 11 1 1 4 4 Triopha catalinae 2 3 3 4 1 18 5 Triopha maculata 4 6 7 18 10 7 1 62 15 19 Tritonia festiva 1 Berthella californica 1 3 2 4 3 Adalaria jannae 1 Acanthodoris hudsoni 1 Total # inds 31 46 96 160 98 124 90 138 106 36 The bright colors of the Clown Total # species 10 9 11 21 23 17 14 18 20 11 Nudibranch, Triopha Catalinae, # Observers 4 5 7 7 11 10 6 11 8 10 serve as a warning that they may not Time (hours) 2.5 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2.5 2 taste good to other animals. photo: Low tide was -1.2 -1.9 0.4 Tom Niesen

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 +5 0 -2 Mar -.54 @ 7:30 am www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 9 Nudibranchs in the Philippines: Animals and Ecosystems Worth Saving by Amy Walters

Terry Gosliner concentrated on the Verde Island Passage near dives off the shores of Manila. His record for the most discovered in New Guinea, turns one trip is at this location: 400 species, half of over a rock, and dis- them new. For the three-week trip, Gosliner av- covers five toxic sea eraged ten dives a day—finding about one new slugs—the colorful species per dive. creatures known as nu- His South Pacific work first started in dibranchs. He deter- Papua New Guinea, where he found more nu- mines what he needs dibranchs in one bay than he has in any place in to collect to document the world. A friend on the same trip told him, “If the species. His scuba you think this is rich, you should go to the Phil- diving buddy swims ippines,” and invited him on his next expedition. over, nudges him gen- Gosliner then focused his attention on the Coral tly, and insists they Triangle, the richest shallow water marine habitat Terry Gosliner, Dean of Sciences at the California end the dive. Gosliner, in the world. Academy of Sciences and inveterate nudibranch completely engrossed, When not traveling, he spends time with searcher. needs two more minutes to finish his inspection. After two minutes of his graduate students, naming and describing his pestering, they finally rise to the surface. specimens. They crosscheck the DNA and de- scription of each animal with marine databases “Why didn’t you come up when I told you to determine if it is a unique species. In one case to?” his friend asks. “There were so many great from his lab, DNA testing revealed that a few in- nudibranchs,” Gosliner replies. Little did he dividuals supposedly from a single species actu- Of the more than know that a twelve-foot hammerhead shark had ally represented eight different species. “There is 3,000 known species been circling a foot over his head. a lot more diversity than we thought,” Gosliner of nudibranchs, Even after two decades of diving and dis- says. covering nudibranchs, Gosliner, Dean of Sci- Gosliner alone has found Scientists now conduct biomedical re- ences at the California Academy of Sciences in search on the chemicals in various marine species, one-third of them. San Francisco, still becomes so focused on them including nudibranchs, sponges, and corals. The that everything else around him fades from view. National Cancer Institute sponsored a recent trip That dedication, though, has had astounding re- to New Guinea in which Gosliner collected spe- sults: of the more than 3,000 known species of cies of nudibranchs and corals he thought might nudibranchs, Gosliner alone has found one-third have disease-fighting potential. Nudibranchs de- of them. fend themselves chemically with an unusual array These sea slugs live in temperate and of compounds, most of which are new to science. tropical waters worldwide. Most are very color- Gosliner tried to pick larger and more colorful ful, ranging from electric blue to bright orange nudibranchs, thinking they might have the best and green. They obtain their pigment from their defenses. He sent his selections to the lab; some prey: sponges, barnacles, even other nudibranchs. of the chemicals from these animals are now un- Their colors also reflect a remarkably complex dergoing scrutiny for possible use in clinical trials natural chemistry, which researchers believe may for cancer or HIV treatments. lead to new treatments for some of the most re- Aside from documenting new species, sistant human diseases. Gosliner is a deeply committed conservation- Gosliner travels to the Philippines several ist. This commitment literally started with times a year to collect nudibranchs and study a bang. ➤ their environment. In the last few years, he has

31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 +5 0 -2 Mar Apr -.27 @ 6:39 am 10 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 During his first dive in the Philippines two diligently documented the individ- decades ago, Gosliner was stunned by a huge un- ual coral heads. When he returned derwater explosion. He quickly swam to the sur- in January the following year, face but saw no boats around. The explosion— a things were better—and by May, blast of dynamite used by fishermen—must have the corals had virtually recovered. been half a mile away. Even so, fish were quiver- Gosliner believes two factors ing and dying all around him. “I thought my ear make this area a reservoir for strong drums had been blown out,” Gosliner says. Each coral communities: deep water blast, he notes, devastates the coral reefs near and vigorous currents. Upwelling “The dorid is a new species ofHypselodoris, naturally brings cooler waters and and this one with purple spots and line is Since he has started his work, overfishing nutrients from the bottom of the a beauty to behold.” –Terry Gosliner ocean up to the surface, pushing and a particularly destructive method photo: Terry Gosliner, Club Ocellaris, out the warmer waters. Few places Anilao, Philippines called dynamite fishing have decreased in the world have these characteris- dramatically in the area… tics. These locations will be reservoirs for corals to survive and to help repopulate the areas where they are decimated. shore. He knew he had to prevent these events Gosliner’s conservation goals are to create from happening, and his conservation work be- “We have moved gan. larger marine protected areas and to safeguard the most vulnerable and diverse regions. Ultimately, from the land of Since he has started his work, overfish- he would like to write a book about conserva- plenty to the land of ing and a particularly destructive method called tion. “We have moved from the land of plenty endangered species and dynamite fishing have decreased dramatically in to the land of endangered species and mass ex- the area—trends Gosliner attributes to a grow- tinction,” he says. “Education and conservation mass extinction,” he ing sense of pride among Filipinos about their are just as important as science. In today’s world, says. “Education and underwater treasures. Gosliner goes to schools you can’t separate the two. Science informs con- conservation are just as in the Philippines to talk with children and col- servation, and education informs the science. laborates with local conservation programs and You really have to have a complete package to important as science. In community leaders. Some of his fellow Academy have any chance of changing the world and turn- today’s world, you can’t educators have helped to show local residents the ing things around from the destructive path our separate the two.” striking creatures living in their waters. Slowly species is on.” but surely, he says, these programs are fostering a marine conservation ethic among Filipinos. Amy Walters recently graduated from UC Coral bleaching, a major problem else- Santa Cruz with a degree where, is not yet a major concern in the Philip- in marine biology. She pines. Water temperatures can reach the high 80s works as an On-call Bi- Fahrenheit, but corals remain healthy. Gosliner ologist at the California saw the first real bleaching in the Verde Island Academy of Sciences. u Passage in October 2010. He was heartsick; he Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Membership Secretary, P.O. Box 669, Moss Beach, CA 94038, or through our website: www.fitzgeraldreserve.org

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14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 +5 0 -2 Apr -1.38 @ 6:26 am www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012 11 Spotlight On Julie Walters

If you love tidepooling, especial- learn and explore together and have fun trying ly searching for nudibranchs, you have to identify what we discovered.” Julie is espe- most likely come across Julie Walters, cially fascinated by the visual feast of colors and frequently seen at Fitzgerald, French- patterns of the animals and feels one could not man’s Cove and Pillar Point dressed in design or image anything more interesting than brown waders, sometimes up to her the tube feet of a sunflower star, the pattern of a thighs in water. sunburst anemone or a lined chiton, or the colors Julie’s love of the outdoors be- of sponges. gan when as a child in Michigan she Her travels have included Europe, Aus- spent most of her free time exploring tralia (including the Great Barrier Reef) and In- the fields and woods near her house (an donesia, and she now feels her future travels will experience she believes is now missing have to be near water. She is planning a trip to from the lives of most children). She San Ignacio Bay in Baja California to observe managed to spend enough hours inside gray whales up close. Julie has become an ex- to earn a degree in architecture from cellent photographer (she generously shares her the University of Michigan. During a beautiful photos which are frequently seen in our layover on her way to Hawaii she fell in love with newsletter) and also loves to garden. Her daugh- Julie is especially the S.F. Bay Area and soon returned to live in Pa- ter Amy works as a biologist for the San Fran- fascinated by the visual feast of colors . “Living by the ocean and volunteering at Fitzgerald has changed my and patterns of the life,” she says. “I cannot imagine ever living away from the ocean. Living animals and feels one by the coast and looking out at the ocean every day is like a mini vacation could not design or to me. It is never the same and always amazes me.” image anything more interesting than the tube feet of a sunflower cifica and work in San Francisco as a designer of cisco Academy of Sciences. They are both certi- star, the pattern of a commercial interiors. fied scuba divers. Julie is the tireless coordinator of the quarterly nudibranch surveys. Her favorite sunburst anemone…or Her introduction to FMR happened five is the electric blue and orange Hermissenda crassi- the colors of sponges. years ago during a University of Michigan alumni tour where she met Tom Ciotti, who recruited her cornis. Julie also helped to create a strong relation- to take the docent training. She sees tidepooling ship between FFMR and the S.F. Academy of u and nature in general as a kind of therapy and Sciences. balance to her professional work that is primarily indoors. “Living by the ocean and volunteering at Fitzgerald has changed my life,” she says. “I cannot imagine ever living away from the ocean. Living by the coast and looking out at the ocean every day is like a mini vacation to me. It is never the same and always amazes me.” Her friendly manner and contagious pas- sion for tidepooling have brought Julie many new friends with a variety of backgrounds. “We all share a common interest in the ocean and stew- ardship of it,” she explains. “We like to share, Hermissenda crassicornis. Photo: Julie Walters

12 www.fitzgeraldreserve.org • December 2012