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Project Information

Title: Trophic Dynamics of Intertidal Soft-Sediment Communities: Interaction between Top-down and Bottom-up Processes (Renewal, Submitted under the BAA) 040635

Project Year and Number: 2004: 040635

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2003: 030635

Principal Investigator (PI): Mary Anne Bishop (Prince William Sound Science Center)

Managing Agency: NOAA

Assisting Personnel: Sean Powers

Research Location: Southeast Prince William Sound (Orca Inlet) and the Copper River Delta

Restoration Category: Research

Injured Resources Addressed: Intertidal Organisms, Sediments

Abstract: Vast expanses of intertidal sand/mudflats serve as a critical link in the food web of nearshore communities along the southcentral Alaska coastline. The rich abundance of benthic invertebrates residing within the sediments of intertidal flats and the large network of subtidal channels that bisect these flats provide a significant prey resource for numerous species of fish, crabs, birds, and marine mammals. One of the largest expanses of intertidal mud/sand flats occurs in the Copper River Delta and southeastern Prince William Sound (Orca Inlet). Here we propose a large-scale field study that examines the physical/chemical and biological factors that limit and/or regulate invertebrate community dynamics. The largely “bottom-up” approach we propose (physical/chemical parameters – phytoplantkon/epibenthic production – invertebrate production) is balanced by the largely “top-down” focus of a companion project funded by the Prince William Sound Oil Spill Recovery Institute that examines predator dynamics and assesses their role in invertebrate community dynamics. At the completion of this project (FY 06), the results of both projects will be synthesized and a subset of key physical/chemical parameters will be identified for long-term monitoring.


Proposal: View (517 KB)

Reports:
Annual Report FY04: View (1,192 KB)
Annual Report FY05: View (2,009 KB)
Annual Report FY06: View (2,670 KB)
Final Report: Final Report Not available. For current status, please contact us.

Publications from this Project: None Available

Datasets:
EVOSTC Data Archive: received final data and metadata on 1/27/2010 - archived.