Science and Cross-Habitat Goals for All Subtidal Habitat Types
CHAPTER THREE Science and Cross-Habitat Goals for All Subtidal Habitat Types his chapter discusses informational needs and issues that cross multiple habitat types, including the water column as a unifying habitat Ttype. It includes a conceptual description of all subtidal habitats and the water column. It lays out foundational science and research goals for all subtidal habitat types, and discusses issues that warrant management and restoration goals for all habitats—for example, invasive species, oil spills, marine debris, and public access and awareness. Conceptual Model for All Habitats The habitat types discussed in this report (Figure 3-1) include habitats defined by physical structure (soft-bottom, rock, artificial substrate), habitats created partly by organisms (eelgrass beds, shellfish beds, and macroalgal beds), and the water column (see next section). All of the habitats except the water column are fixed in place, so the water column must be considered as part of these habitats as well as a separate habitat itself. The various subtidal habitats support valued ecosystem services (see Chapter 1), although the degree of support, and the relationship of quantity of habitat to level of support, are unknown. Conceptual models, including text and diagrams, were developed to describe the broader subtidal system, and for each of the habitat types. The habitat-specific models in subsequent chapters provide informa- tion on what each habitat does, both in terms of its function and the ecosystem services it supports. They also describe short- and long- term threats—human and other activities that may impair or reduce the amount of each habitat. The Water Column In setting goals for subtidal habitat, the Subtidal Goals Project used the water column—the water covering submerged substrate, includ- Shallow subtidal habitat at the Marin Islands National ing all volume between the substrate and the water surface—as an Wildlife Refuge.
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