Project Information

Title: Herring Bay Monitoring and Restoration Studies 93039

Project Year and Number: 1993: 93039

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 1996: 96086, 1995: 95086-C, 1994: 94086, 1992: CH1-A, 1992: CH1-B, 1991: CH1-A, 1991: CH1-B, 1990: CH1, 1989: CH1

Principal Investigator (PI): Ray Highsmith (School of Fisheries and Ocean Science)

Managing Agency: ADFG

Assisting Personnel: Lawrence Deysher, Tama Rucker, Sue Saupe, Michael Stekoll, Peter Van Tamelen

Research Location: Prince William Sound

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Intertidal Organisms, Mussels

Abstract: The seaweed Fucus gardneri was seriously damaged in the Prince William Sound area, as a result of the EVOS and resultant cleanup activities. Fucus makes up 90% of the algal biomass in the intertidal region, and serves as habitat and food for a variety of invertebrates and mammals. Natural recovery of Fucus beds has been slow. Barnacles, mussels, and limpets were reduced by the spill and cleanup. This project will identify major limitations to settlement, recruitment, and growth of Fucus and of invertebrates such as barnacles, mussels, and limpets by providing controlled, long-term natural recovery monitoring of intertidal communities. In addition, various methods for Fucus restoration will be evaluated. Herring Bay will be used as an experimental site. The structure and population dynamics of Fucus plants will be quantified by determining size frequency, population size, reproductive status, growth rates, individual sizes, number of receptacles, egg dispersal, and condition of the plants at the test sites. Techniques for restoring Fucus will be tested. Mussels, barnacle spat, and adult barnacles will be counted and measured over time to determine the survival rate of recruits.


Proposal: Not Available

Reports:
Final Report: See Project 96086

Publications from this Project: None Available

Datasets:
EVOSTC Data Archive: Population dynamics of Fucus gardneri: abundance, reproductivity, and recruitment. Quattro Pro files. Availability: Upon request.