Project Description

The Gaines Lab conducts research on a wide variety of marine ecology, fisheries, and biological conservation topics. Historically, the Lab has been involved in long-term intertidal community ecology research, which means researchers have monitored the occurrence of near shore species over time. Knowing which species occurs in which geographic locations, and when, is a foundational part of a science field known as community ecology. The objective of this study  is to compare and contrast the size structure and abundance patterns of limpets (Lottia spp.) at two Goleta locations: Coal Oil Point and Campus Point. These two research sites are already a part of a long-term monitoring program coordinated by LiMPETS: Long-term Monitoring Programs and Experimental Training for Students (http://limpetsmonitoring.org/rocky-intertidal-monitoring/). As such, we will use some of the existing data sheets and protocols to conduct one line-transect survey at each location.