National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring at Channel Islands National Park 2005 Annual Report Natural Resource Data Series NPS/CHIS/NRDS—2012/370 ON THE COVER A dense carpet of Chondracanthus canaliculatus with Phragmatopoma californica colonies dominate the lower intertidal zone, replacing Mytilus californianus that were eaten by Pisaster ochraceus at Johnson’s Lee, Santa Rosa Island Photograph by: Paula Rich Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring at Channel Islands National Park 2005 Annual Report Natural Resource Data Series NPS/CHIS/NRDS—2012/370 Daniel V. Richards Paula J. Rich Stephen G. Whitaker National Park Service Channel Islands National Park 1901 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, CA 93001 September 2012 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 Data Series is intended for timely release of basic data sets and data summaries. Care has been taken to assure accuracy of raw data values, but a thorough analysis and interpretation of the data has not been completed. Consequently, the initial analyses of data in this report are provisional and subject to change. 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 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 also available from the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/) or the Mediterranean Coast Network (http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/medn/) on the Internet. Please cite this publication as: Richards, D. V., P. J. Rich and S. G. Whitaker. 2012. Rocky intertidal community monitoring: 2005 annual report. Natural Resource Data Series NPS/CHIS/NRDS—2012/370. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 159/117128, September 2012 ii Contents Page Figures............................................................................................................................................. v Tables ............................................................................................................................................. vi Page ................................................................................................................................................ vi Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... x List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... xi Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 3 Study Area ............................................................................................................................... 3 Monitoring ............................................................................................................................... 4 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 6 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 9 2005 Sampling Event ............................................................................................................... 9 Photoplots .............................................................................................................................. 10 Motile Invertebrates ............................................................................................................... 15 Haliotis cracherodii ............................................................................................................... 15 Lottia gigantea ....................................................................................................................... 19 Sea stars ................................................................................................................................. 25 Phyllospadix spp. ................................................................................................................... 28 Shorebirds and Pinnipeds ...................................................................................................... 31 Visitation ................................................................................................................................ 34 Trip Reports ........................................................................................................................... 36 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 37 iii Contents (continued) Page Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................. 41 Appendix A: Program Notes ....................................................................................................... A-1 Appendix B. Photoquadrat Data Tables...................................................................................... B-1 Appendix C. Trip Reports ........................................................................................................... C-1 iv Figures Page Figure 1. Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring Site Locations in Channel Islands National Park. ................................................................................................................................. 3 Figure 2. Percent cover of target species (Chthamalus/Balanus, Endocladia muricata, Silvetia compressa and Mytilus californianus) in fixed plots by zone in spring 2005. ................ 12 Figure 3. Percent cover of target species (Chthamalus/Balanus, Endocladia muricata, Silvetia compressa and Mytilus californianus) in fixed plots by zone in fall 2005. ..................... 13 Figure 4. Percent cover of target taxa (Red algal turf, Tar, Tetraclita rubescens, Pollicipes polymerus and Hesperophycus californicus) in fixed plots by zone in 2005.. ............ 14 Figure 5. Haliotis cracherodii size distribution in spring and fall 2005, all sites combined. ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 6. Lottia gigantea at Anacapa Island 1999-2005............................................................... 21 Figure 7. Lottia gigantea at Santa Cruz Island 1998-2005. .......................................................... 22 Figure 8. Lottia gigantea at Santa Rosa Island 1998-2005. .......................................................... 23 Figure 9. Lottia gigantea at San Miguel Island 2001-2005. ......................................................... 24 Figure 10. Pisaster ochraceus sizes at all sites in fall 2005.. ....................................................... 26 Figure 11. Pisaster ochraceus counts at each site from 1999-2010. ............................................ 27 Figure 12. Phyllospadix spp. cover on 10m point-intercept transects at Santa Cruz Island.. ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 13. Phyllospadix spp. cover on 10m point-intercept transects at Santa Rosa Island.. ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 14. Visitation at Frenchy’s Cove, Anacapa (Island Packers visitors). .............................. 35 Figure 15. Annual Commercial Visitation at Frenchy’s Cove, Anacapa (Island Packers visitors) 1993-2005. ...................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 16. Feral pig damage to mussel bed at Prisoners Harbor. ................................................