NCCN Intertidal Monitoring

Intertidal Monitoring Brief, June 2009 

Parks where protocol will be implemented
Olympic National Park

Importance / Issues
Intertidal communities are particularly important because of their tight ecological linkage with the near-shore coastal ocean. This tight linkage is manifested in nutrient transport, and direct exchange of organisms between these zones. Most benthic invertebrates and macroalgae have a pelagic life-stage that live in the near-shore coastal ocean and contribute to its highly productive foodweb.  Intertidal communities are vulnerable to a host of anthropogenic stressors, such as pollution (e.g. oil spills), harvest, trampling, and global climate change.  Intertidal communities are valuable vital signs of important changes in the near-shore marine ecosystem, and are themselves a valuable indicator of marine water quality.

Monitoring Objectives

1. Determine the range of natural variation in species richness, abundance and distribution (elevational and coast-wide) of intertidal invertebrates and macroalgae in rock platform and sand beach habitats.
2. Determine the temporal and spatial change in physical habitat types.
3. Determine long-term trends in intertidal water temperatures across the range of coastal nearshore oceanographic cells.
4. Determine long-term summer trends in nearshore marine water quality.

Potential Measures
Intertidal Step-Down Framework

• Intertidal Zone Health
• Intertidal Organisms
• Communities
• Invertebrate & Macroalgae
• Rock Platform Habitat (21% of OLYM)
• Sand Beach Habitat (30% of OLYM)
• Intertidal Habitat
• Water Quality
• Temperature
• Invertebrate & Macroalgal communities

Management Applications
By determining the range of natural variation in assemblage composition, abundance and elevational distribution, park managers will be able to detect impacts from stressors that include changes in water quality, harvest pressure, pollution, and global climate change. Determination of changes in habitat distribution and abundance can directly influence management decisions that can lead to the limitation of habitat alteration. Determination of intertidal temperatures will directly inform park managers about how changes in oceanographic processes affect intertidal organisms and will enable managers to better interpret any changes in intertidal invertebrate & macroalgal communities.

Protocol Development and Status
Protocols proposed here are still in development. It is expected that protocols will be finalized by the end of FY06, with a draft protocol available for peer review by December 31, 2006.

Status and Trends
Not available at this time.

Contacts
Steve Fradkin
Coastal/Marine Ecologist - Olympic National Park
(360) 928-9612
Steve_Fradkin

References
Not available at this time.