Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

Intertidal Monitoring

Sitka National Historical Park

Justification

• Intertidal areas are diverse, biologically sensitive habitats vulnerable to disturbance.

• Fuel spills and boat groundings are constant threats. Trampling from high visitor use affects some areas (SITK).

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

Objective

• Determine the changes over time of species composition and distribution

• Identify those caused by anthropogenic activity

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009

Sitka Intertidal

Technical Approach

• Evolution from VS to Repeat Inventory

• High power for few, most common species

• High natural variability

• Informed by monitoring report and expert input

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

Logistics and Budget

• $20K in FY12 to establish agreement– Design and implement first iteration

• Sci.comm products

• Periodic (10 years?) need for experts to assist with inventory

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

What we’re learning

• Power to detect trend is high for barnacles, Fucus, and Littorina snails.

• Mobile and rare organisms under-represented

• Random transects confound trend detection

• Inventory will concentrate on presence/ND; algae, rare speciesSoutheast Alaska Network

Inventory and Monitoring Program

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009

Program Delivery

Potential Inventory Products

Species list, ID sheet

Signage

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

brendan_moynahan@nps.gov 907.364.2621brendan_moynahan@nps.gov 907.364.2621