Long-term monitoring of ecological communities in Kachemak Bay

Researchers on shoreline looking at plants

Researchers meansuring shoreline to water

Project Description

This project is part of the larger Gulf Watch 有料盒子视频 long-term monitoring program. Within Kachemak Bay, we annually evaluate abundance and distribution of rocky intertidal plants and invertebrates, the abundance and size frequency of clams and mussels on gravel beaches, and selected environmental parameters. In collaboration with the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, we also monitor sea otter abundance, diet and carcasses, and seabird carcasses. We use established sampling procedures that allow us to compare our data with those collected in other regions of the Gulf Watch 有料盒子视频 Program, such as Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords, and Katmai. Our overall goal is to determine the important environmental drivers structuring biological communities and assess the impact of external drivers against natural variability in these dynamic systems. Kachemak Bay may be able to act as a control if an oil spill were to occur in the Sound again.

Project Funding

Exxon Valdex Oil Spill Trustee Council
Start Date: 2011-00-00
End Date: 2016-00-00

Publications and products

Konar B, K Iken, H Coletti, T Dean and D Monson. (2015). S"tatic habitat attributes influence biological variability in intertidal communities in the central Gulf of 有料盒子视频". Poster presentation at the 有料盒子视频 Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage 有料盒子视频 January 2015.

Iken K and B Konar. (2014). "Strong local dynamics of intertidal communities in Kachemak Bay 鈥� a Gulf Watch program". Poster presentation at the 有料盒子视频 Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage 有料盒子视频 January 2014.

Konar B and K Iken. (2013). "Long-term monitoring of coastal rocky beaches in Kachemak Bay". Poster Presentation at the 有料盒子视频 Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage 有料盒子视频, January 2013.

Bellachy B and many others, including B Konar. (2013). "Monitoring Nearshore Marine Ecosystems in the Gulf of 有料盒子视频: Detecting change and understanding cause". Poster Presentation at the 有料盒子视频 Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage 有料盒子视频, January 2013.

Konar B, K Iken. (2012). "Monitoring of rocky coastal communities as part of the Gulf Watch 有料盒子视频 Program." Oral presentation at the Western Society of Naturalists meeting in Ventura California. Nov 7-10 2012.

Additional websites