Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring at Channel Islands National Park 2012 Annual Report
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring at Channel Islands National Park 2012 Annual Report Natural Resource Report NPS/MEDN/NRR—2015/1043 ON THE COVER Haliotis cracherodii (black abalone) Photograph by: S. Whitaker Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring at Channel Islands National Park 2012 Annual Report Natural Resource Report NPS/MEDN/NRR—2015/1043 Stephen G. Whitaker and Daniel V. Richards National Park Service Channel Islands National Park 1901 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, CA 93001 September 2015 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. This report received informal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. 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 Mediterranean Coast Network website (http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/medn/publications.cfm) and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/). To receive this report in a format optimized for screen readers, please email [email protected]. Please cite this publication as follows: Whitaker S. G., and D. V. Richards. 2015. Rocky intertidal community monitoring at Channel Islands National Park: 2012 annual report. Natural Resource Report NPS/MEDN/NRR—2015/1043. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 159/129925, September 2015 ii Contents Page Figures.................................................................................................................................................... v Tables .................................................................................................................................................... xi Abstract/Executive Summary .............................................................................................................xiii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................. xvii Glossary .............................................................................................................................................. xix Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Study Area ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Monitoring ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................ 12 Results and Discussion ........................................................................................................................ 13 Photoplots ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Motile Invertebrates...................................................................................................................... 37 Haliotis cracherodii ...................................................................................................................... 37 Lottia gigantea .............................................................................................................................. 46 Pisaster ochraceus ......................................................................................................................... 54 Shorebirds and Pinnipeds ............................................................................................................. 69 Visitation ...................................................................................................................................... 74 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................................... 77 Appendix A. Trip Reports .................................................................................................................... 81 San Miguel Island, March 13-20, 2012 ........................................................................................ 81 Santa Rosa Island, April 10-17, 2012 ........................................................................................... 86 Anacapa Island April 22-25, 2012 ................................................................................................ 91 Procedure and General Notes: ...................................................................................................... 91 Results (Daily and Site Description) ............................................................................................ 91 Santa Cruz Island May 8-12, 2012 ............................................................................................... 96 Santa Rosa Island, May 22-28, 2012 .......................................................................................... 101 Santa Cruz Island, October 28-30, 2012 .................................................................................... 106 iii Contents (continued) Page Santa Barbara Island ................................................................................................................... 110 Anacapa Island November 25-28, 2012 ..................................................................................... 113 Santa Cruz Island December 9-14, 2012 .................................................................................... 116 San Miguel Island ....................................................................................................................... 120 Santa Rosa Island ....................................................................................................................... 124 iv Figures Page Figure 1: Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring site locations in Channel Islands National Park. ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Figure 2. Photograph of Stephen Whitaker scoring photoplots at Anacapa Middle West. ................... 9 Figure 3. Stephen Whitaker measuring giant owl limpets and Connie Jenkins recording at Fossil Reef, Santa Rosa Island. ............................................................................................................ 10 Figure 4. Phorograph of surfgrass transect at Trailer, Santa Cruz Island. ........................................... 11 Figure 5. Percent cover of Mytilus californianus along with Phragmatopoma californica and bare rock in fixed plots within the Mytilus zone at each site in spring ......................................... 13 Figure 6. Percent cover of Mytilus californianus along with Phragmatopoma californica and bare rock in fixed plots within the Mytilus zone at each site in fall. ............................................. 14 Figure 7. Departure from the long-term mean for Mytilus californianus at Anacapa Island ............... 15 Figure 8. Departure from the long-term mean for Mytilus californianus at Santa Barbara Island .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 9. Departure from the long-term mean for Mytilus californianus at Santa Cruz Island. ................................................................................................................................................... 16