Nearshore Marine Monitoring in the Southwest Alaska Network of National Parks

Bodkin, James; Dean, Thomas; Coletti, Heather

In 2006 we field tested a protocol for monitoring nearshore ecosystems in the Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) unit of the Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN) of National Parks. The protocol includes six draft standard operating procedures that correspond to NPS “vital signs”. These include: 1) water chemistry/temperature, 2) marine algae, 3) intertidal invertebrates, 4) marine birds, 5) black oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani), and 6) sea otters (Enhydra lutris). We established five permanent rocky intertidal transects that provide focal points for vital sign sampling. A temperature recording device was placed at each transect origin. Algae and invertebrates were sampled along these 100 m (328.08 ft) transects. Dominant algae included Fucus gardneri, Neorhodomela oregonia, Ulva and Palmaria sp. Dominant invertebrates included barnacles (Balanus and Semibalanus sp.), snails (Littorina sitkana), and small limpets (Lottia and Tectura sp.). Samples of mussels and limpets at each site were used to estimate size distributions. We surveyed marine birds and mammals along 25 systematic transects, each approximately 5 km (3.12 miles) in length. The most abundant seabirds (number per square kilometer) were glaucous-winged gulls (Larus hyperboreus) (87.2/km2 ), cormorants (Phalacrocorax sp.) (68.3/km2 ), black legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) (58.4/km2 ), scoters (Melanitta sp.) (21.4/km2 ), and harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) (16.9/km2 ). Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) (6.2/km2 ) were the most abundant marine mammal. An average of 3.2 black oystercatchers / km2 were observed. Twelve black oystercatcher nests were observed along 100 km (62.14 miles) of coastline. Ten of these nests were active. These contained a total of eight eggs and 10 chicks. Sea otter densities were 4.9/km2 . Sea otter diet consisted predominantly of clams (76%), octopus (2%), snails (10%), sea stars (2%), chitons (5%), crabs (3%), urchins (2%), and other prey items (<1%). We recovered 37 sea otter carcasses from beaches along the KATM coast, most of those associated with offshore islands where sea otters commonly haul out. In addition to field testing of the nearshore monitoring protocol, we are revising the monitoring protocol and SOPs and began development of a database structure and a data management plan for nearshore.

Nearshore Marine Monitoring in the Southwest Alaska Network of National Parks

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