Sample Project: Intertidal Biodiversity at Manchester State Park; Identifying Suitable Eelgrass Restoration Sites in Commencement BayDescription: · Can analyze different types of intertidal habitats (i.e. rocky vs soft-sediment, etc) · Can analyze biodiversity differences at different tidal heights · If repeated over long period of time, may be able to detect changes in biodiversity, such as species loss or what species is dominant at that location. Equipment needed: · Map of photo site · Trimble GPS unit · Digital camera that as been calibrated with GPS · Appropriate scale bar and ID tag · Compass · Intertidal organism identification books, if needed (i.e. Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast: An Illustrated Guide to Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia by Eugene N. Kozloff) · Tape measure/transect line · Quadrat (small: 0.25m2 or large: 1m2) · Meter stick · Random number generator (available online) · Boots/shoes with good traction What to photograph:
When to photograph:
Procedure: 1. Calibrate your digital camera with your GPS unit (see Calibrating your Digital Camera with your Trimble GPS Unit).2. Lay transect through area to be surveyed. Surveying along a transect that is parallel to the shoreline will give a general range of the biodiversity of the site. Surveying along a transect perpendicular to the shoreline will show the changes in species type and abundance with change in tidal height. Document GPS coordinates and direction of transect. 3. Generate random numbers. 4. Lay quadrat at designated numbers along transect. 5. Include scale bar in photograph. Scale can be marked on perimeter of the quadrat. 6. Include photo ID tag with site name, photograph number, and transect number. 7. Place GPS unit by quadrat, not by the camera, to document the quadrat coordinates and not the camera’s. 8. Make sure area is well lit and light is not blocked, such that the photographs will clearly show the organisms present. 9. Photograph the quadrat from designated height above (i.e. 1 meter above). Note: In habitats such as the rocky intertidal, there are usually just as many organisms living on the under side of rocks as on top that should be surveyed. If this is the case, document the top of the rock first (be sure to include TOP designation on your ID tag). Once the top has been fully documented (overall quadrat photograph and any close-ups needed), turn over the rock and quickly photograph the underside (including a BOTTOM designation on your ID tag) to capture any mobile organisms that will be quickly running away. 10. Continue this procedure for all randomly generated numbers along the transect and any other transects surveyed. 11. Once photographs have been downloaded onto the computer, it will be easy to identify and quantify the organisms present. Webpage and project content by: Dr. Joel Elliott, University of Puget
Sound, Department of Biology This project is funded by the
Northwest Academic Computing Consortium and the University of Puget
Sound .
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