Project Information

Title: Herring Bay Monitoring and Restoration Studies 94086

Project Year and Number: 1994: 94086

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 1996: 96086, 1995: 95086-C, 1993: 93039, 1992: CH1-A, 1992: CH1-B, 1991: CH1-A, 1991: CH1-B, 1990: CH1, 1989: CH1

Principal Investigator (PI): Ray Highsmith (Alaskan University )

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 continue to 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. 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 established oiled and control test sites. Mussel and barnacle recruitment rates and mussel and Fucus growth rates relative to water motion on oiled and unoiled sites will be compared. Indications that Fucus plants release allelochemicals will be investigated by monitoring the established cleared plots with various sized buffer zones.


Proposal: Not Available

Reports:
Annual Report FY94: View (5,298 KB)
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: Prior to publication, availability of data can be negotiated. Pending reference: Herring Bay Monitoring Studies Final Report Project No. 94086 1996.