Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center National Park Service Point Reyes National Seashore U.S. Department of the Interior Coastal Science Review Issue 2, Summer 2004 Tomales Bay "Invertebrate-Quest" Partners Biodiversity Bodega Marine Laboratory Partnership The Natural History Museum of Los Updates Angeles County Dominican University University of Oregon Los Angeles Marine Biology Lab “Bio-Quests” Hydrozoologica Since the fall of 2003, the Tomales Bay © Sue Van Der Wal Biodiversity Inventory (TBBI) has conducted two "Bio-Quests." The first, an New Partnership to "Invertebrate-Quest" took place over the Develop Water Quality course of a week and included over six Database different partners whose combined talent, skills, and expertise covered the gamut of The Tomales Bay Watershed Council invertebrate taxonomy. The second, an (TBWC) has teamed with the National "Algae-Quest" lasted two-days and Park Service and the Pacific Coast revisited several rocky beaches that were Science and Learning Center to develop inventoried in spring of 2004. Specimens a water quality database for the Tomales are being identified and an algae species Bay watershed. Dwight Shackleford and list for Tomales Bay is expected by Daniel George are developing the December 2004. database and incorporating all available © Sue Van Der Wal water quality data from a myriad of Information from these "Bio-Quests," as agencies and scientists currently well as other TBBI relevant data are being collecting data in the region. The new compiled in the Tomales Bay Biodiversity database will allow the TBWC to identify Database, which can be found online at current gaps in monitoring effort and aid Tomales Bay watershed is 220 square miles and represents about one third of the area www.tomalesbaylife.org. Compilation of development of a robust new monitoring of Marin County. the database is the first step to using program to address water quality issues science-based management to achieve in the watershed. the goals of the TBBP. Contents New Species in the Bay 2 Update on Didemnum vexillum 2 Loon Research Project Expands 3 Statewide Assessment of Harbor Seals 3 “Working collaboratively to protect and Tomales Bay Biodiversity restore the waters and lands of Tomales Partnership Website Training Future Scientists 4 Bay Watershed” Coastal Air Quality 5 www.tomalesbaywatershed.org www.tomalesbaylife.org Biodiversity Partnership Update 6 Tomales Bay Biodiversity Partnership Updates New Species in the Bay Update on the Didemnum vexillum Invertebrate taxonomist Leslie Harris of Invasion of Tomales Bay the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) recently col- In the last issue of Costal Science Review, lected a species new to science in the we reported on the recent discovery of eelgrass beds of Tomales Bay. The as yet Didemnum vexillum (synonymous with D. unnamed species is a crustacea, order lahillei), in Tomales Bay. This invasive Leptostraca, genus Nebalia. Todd Haney, clonal tunicate has fouled oyster growing a PhD student jointly at UCLA and operations and displaces native biodiversity NHMLAC is revising the phylogeny of the Didemnum vexillum, a nonnative clonal ascidian in other estuaries and is thus an issue of discovered in Tomales Bay. Leptostraca and will describe the new concern for Tomales Bay mariculturists species. and conservationists. Our first steps in mitigating this threat are a partnership non-native invertebrates will also be between the Natural History Museum of collected and send to NHMLAC for Los Angeles (NHMLAC) County, taxonomic identification. While removal of Dominican University, and Tomales High D. vexillum has been unsuccessful in School. Interns from the University will other estuaries, a tedious but effective systematically document the distribution of physical removal process may slow the Harris D. vexillum along the Tomales Bay tunicates spread and keep the population Leslie The species new to Tomales Bay looks similar to this image shoreline. Future projects will attempt to below a threshold level where population of its tropical relative. However the new species is bright green, an ideal camouflage for life in the eelgrass beds. remove the invasive. Other native and growth remains slow. TOMALES BAY BIODIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP RESEARCH Completion of nearshore fishes inventory Jim Pettigrew, San Francisco State University Completion of the first year of research into the factors determining the distribution of native oysters David Kimbro, University of California, Davis Initial sampling and identification of intertidal benthic diatoms Eileen Hemphill-Haley, Humboldt State University Initial sampling and Identification of pelagic and epiphytic diatoms in Tomales Bay Mary Ann Tiffany, San Diego State University and University of California Davis Established long-term monitoring plots for algae biodiversity along the axis of Tomales Bay Lawrence Glacy, University of California, Davis Coastal Science Review, Summer 2004 2 Loon Research Project toxicology through loons can yield signifi- This is called a “mark-recapture Expands to Tomales Bay cant information on the health of a population estimate”. watershed. This study will help clarify these As a combined effort between the areas of loon biology and ecology to better The short-term disturbance will yield BioDiversity Research Institute (BRI) and manage the species year-round, since important results for this statewide California State University, Chico, a study comparatively little study exists of loons population estimate and implications on of overwintering loons has begun at during their stressful and physiologically how the seals are managed and protected several West Coast sites, including demanding overwintering months. by the state. Presently, the park is Tomales Bay. Over several years, loons estimating that the population at Point will be captured from a boat during Statewide Population Reyes is around 6,000 animals based on wintering seasons and re-released after a Assessment of Harbor direct counts. brief assessment. Seals Feather and blood samples for toxicology The harbor seal popula- assays and genetic profiles will be taken tion at Point Reyes to assess uptakes of environmental represents the largest contaminants and to genetically trace concentration of harbor wintering birds to geographically-identified seals in California other breeding populations. Legbands are also than the Channel applied to track movements of individual Islands, and is estimated loons through resighting reports. to account for 20% of the mainland breeding Along with high winter loon occupancy, population. Consequently, Tomales Bay was selected as a study site the National Marine Fisheries Service due to mercury discharge from Walker (NMFS) identified Point Reyes as the Creek. This mercury discharge was a primary area for implementing their Researchers capture and tag harbor seals to result of leakage from a defunct mercury program to estimate the total harbor seal estimate their populations for the entire state. mine several miles up Walker Creek. As population in California. In early June, researchers from the NMFS, Moss Landing Marine Protected Areas Marine Laboratory, U.C. Davis Veterinary Update School, and Marine Mammal Center captured nearly 50 harbor seals at Point Point Reyes National Seashore continues Reyes and affixed radio-tags on 40 of the to work with local fisherman, and seals. The researchers also captured and agencies such as National Oceanic and tagged another 50 seals in other parts of Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Action Committee of the state. The process includes tagging West Marin, Environmental Defense Fund, seals with flipper and radio-tags, and then Natural Resources Defense Council, and surveying by airplane in all haul out sites University of California Davis to suggest looking for the radio-tagged seals (during potential Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) the peak molt when many of the seals are for the Marin Coast. When the state resumes its implementation of a visible on land). NMFS then estimates the statewide network of MPAs, we hope to population based on the proportion of have a Marin coast MPA proposal tagged to un-tagged seals resting onshore supported by all stakeholders that will and then multiplying the hauled out number have both scientific and socioeconomic support. based on the correction factor of how many Loons are captured for a brief assessment and application of leg bands. tagged seals are NOT hauled out. Coastal Science Review, Summer 2004 3 Training Future Scientists Homeschool Students College Intern Gains Assist with Intertidal Hands-On Experience Monitoring The following article was written by A twelve-week environmental science Rosemary Records, a Biological Science course designed by educator Ruth Lopez Aid at Point Reyes National Seashore included intertidal monitoring experience and a student at Santa Rosa Junior for a dozen local homeschool students College. through the Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center (PCSLC). Each month, This is my during low tide cycles, students would second year Student interns gain experience with field work work under the supervision of the PCSLC as an intern while assisting researchers in various studies. Education Coordinator and closely follow at Point marsh within Point Reyes. Besides a protocol designed by Gulf of the Reyes gaining the hands-on experience Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to National of fieldwork, I was also able to observe the density and abundance of Seashore.