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IntertidalIntertidal
By Kellianna & Alan By Kellianna & Alan
Problem/Purpose
To determine if Maili Beach Park’s intertidal ecosystem is healthy
HypothesisHypothesis
If Maili Beach park’s ecosystem is healthy, then native organisms should be present that were observed in the past. If the abiotic factors are optimal then the organisms should be where they are supposed to be and in abundance
If Maili Beach park’s ecosystem is healthy, then native organisms should be present that were observed in the past. If the abiotic factors are optimal then the organisms should be where they are supposed to be and in abundance
ProceduresProcedures
1. Get a tape measure, a 5x5 square quad, GPS locator, data tables, and a pencil
2. Use the tape measure and measure 10 meters from where the water starts from the shore until where the water is 10 meters away
3. Use the quad and put it down every meter BEFORE the meter mark
4. Tally how much of each organism or abiotic factors there are under quad 1
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for quads 2-10
1. Get a tape measure, a 5x5 square quad, GPS locator, data tables, and a pencil
2. Use the tape measure and measure 10 meters from where the water starts from the shore until where the water is 10 meters away
3. Use the quad and put it down every meter BEFORE the meter mark
4. Tally how much of each organism or abiotic factors there are under quad 1
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for quads 2-10
CharacteristicsCharacteristics
Biotic factors (species found frequently):• Sea Urchins
• Turf Algae
• Other Algae
• Brown-colored Crust
Abiotic factors:• Bare Rock
• Sand
• Low tide, calm surf
• Wind speed (calm to light air – 0 - 3mph)
Biotic factors (species found frequently):• Sea Urchins
• Turf Algae
• Other Algae
• Brown-colored Crust
Abiotic factors:• Bare Rock
• Sand
• Low tide, calm surf
• Wind speed (calm to light air – 0 - 3mph)
Energy Flow in an Intertidal ecosystemEnergy Flow in an Intertidal ecosystem
SUN
Primary Consumers(Sea urchins, sponges,sea cucumbers)
Secondary Consumers(reef fish, small crab, some sea stars)
Tertiary consumers(eels)
Decomposers(plankton, some seastars)
Producers(Algae/Seaweed)
Human ImpactsHuman Impacts
Introduced species:• Bubble Algae
• Red Algae
Other human impacts:• Garbage thrown from roadside
• Garbage thrown by beachgoers
• Garbage thrown from large beachside homeless community
• Garbage collected: plastics, balloons, pieces of nets, glass bottle shards, plastic bottles, pieces of rubber
Introduced species:• Bubble Algae
• Red Algae
Other human impacts:• Garbage thrown from roadside
• Garbage thrown by beachgoers
• Garbage thrown from large beachside homeless community
• Garbage collected: plastics, balloons, pieces of nets, glass bottle shards, plastic bottles, pieces of rubber
Data TableData TableBlue-Green algae Brown-Colored crust Crustose Coralline Turf Algae Other Algae Bubble Algae
Quad 1 4 0 0 0 11 3
Q2 2 0 5 0 0 0
Q3 2 5 10 9 13 0
Q4 4 0 5 18 1 0
Q5 0 6 3 5 8 0
Q6 0 8 0 7 6 0
Q7 4 0 0 8 13 0
Q8 0 0 5 15 0 0
Q9 2 17 2 21 13 1
Quad 10 0 0 0 20 13 0
Avg. Per Quad
1.2 3.6 2.5 10.3 6.7 0.1
Range 0 to 4 0 to 17 0 to 10 0 to 21 0 to 13 0 to 3
Mode 0 0 0 0 13 0
Median 2 0 2.5 8.5 9.5 0
Data Table (continued)Data Table (continued)
Red Algae (Acanthophora spicifera)
Crab Urchins Other Inverts
Sponge Gracilaria salicornia
Sand Bare Rock
Quad 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 51 93
Q2 0 0 0 0 1 0 41 92
Q3 0 0 1 0 0 0 23 81
Q4 0 0 1 0 0 0 23 78
Q5 0 0 1 0 0 0 40 84
Q6 0 0 2 0 1 0 81 56
Q7 4 0 1 3 0 0 61 47
Q8 0 0 0 1 3 0 34 57
Q9 0 0 9 1 0 10 16 33
Q10 8 0 11 10 0 0 25 26
Avg. Per Quad
1.2 0.1 2.6 1.5 0.7 1 39.5 64.7
Range 0 to 8 0 to 1 0 to 11 0 to 10 0 to 3 0 to 10 16 to 81
26 to 93
Mode 0 0 1 0 0 0 23 N/A
Median 0 0 1 0 0 0 37 67.5
Data AnalysisData Analysis Some species seem in the right spot Native invertebrates like Wana (urchins) are found at their
typical depth - from quad 8 and deeper out Turf algae was found everywhere and at every size (quads 1-5,
from .78 to 2 inches tall Turf algae is a good thing in an intertidal ecosystem – they give
shade and moistureBUT! Invasive seaweed and algae like Bubble Algae and Red Algae
were found all over in all depths – this is a bad thing – they choke and shove out native species
Over 20 species supposed to be found at Ma’ili were completely missing
Even though urchins were where they were supposed to be, many others were found deeper out where there were less rocks – are they being forced to move out?
Only 10% of species in O’ahu’s intertidals are invasive… At Ma’ili, over 12% were invasive/introduced
Is Ma’ili overrun with invasive species?!
Some species seem in the right spot Native invertebrates like Wana (urchins) are found at their
typical depth - from quad 8 and deeper out Turf algae was found everywhere and at every size (quads 1-5,
from .78 to 2 inches tall Turf algae is a good thing in an intertidal ecosystem – they give
shade and moistureBUT! Invasive seaweed and algae like Bubble Algae and Red Algae
were found all over in all depths – this is a bad thing – they choke and shove out native species
Over 20 species supposed to be found at Ma’ili were completely missing
Even though urchins were where they were supposed to be, many others were found deeper out where there were less rocks – are they being forced to move out?
Only 10% of species in O’ahu’s intertidals are invasive… At Ma’ili, over 12% were invasive/introduced
Is Ma’ili overrun with invasive species?!
Preservation/Restoration EffortsPreservation/Restoration Efforts
Clean-Ups by:• City&County of Honolulu (state govt)• Wai’anae Coast Neighborhood Board (local)• A major beach clean up and restoration project started
by Wai’anae & state officials on Sept. 4, 2006• Again in Late March of 2007• Clearing beach park of trash • Evicting homelesses living there to homeless shelters• Part of a project to clean up all Wai’anae coast parks
Clean-Ups by:• City&County of Honolulu (state govt)• Wai’anae Coast Neighborhood Board (local)• A major beach clean up and restoration project started
by Wai’anae & state officials on Sept. 4, 2006• Again in Late March of 2007• Clearing beach park of trash • Evicting homelesses living there to homeless shelters• Part of a project to clean up all Wai’anae coast parks
Preservation/RestorationPreservation/Restoration
What Else Can We Do?• Petition the City & County to do more regular beach
sweeps around the Wai’anae area
• Set up homeless shelters more close-by to temporarily accommodate homeless around there
• Publish information about the state of Ma’ili’s condition– educate the public
• Wai’anae residents can mail their representatives about the problem
What Else Can We Do?• Petition the City & County to do more regular beach
sweeps around the Wai’anae area
• Set up homeless shelters more close-by to temporarily accommodate homeless around there
• Publish information about the state of Ma’ili’s condition– educate the public
• Wai’anae residents can mail their representatives about the problem
Why is Protecting Ma’ili so Important?Why is Protecting Ma’ili so Important?
• People should protect the Maili Beach park intertidal ecosystem because you can’t study the organisms there if they are gone!
• People should restore it because that way other people can see it when it is healthy
• There is evidence that the intertidal zone is important in food webs of the nearby reefs
• Once the intertidal ecosystems on the island are gone, our last chance at getting information from them will be gone forever!
• People should protect the Maili Beach park intertidal ecosystem because you can’t study the organisms there if they are gone!
• People should restore it because that way other people can see it when it is healthy
• There is evidence that the intertidal zone is important in food webs of the nearby reefs
• Once the intertidal ecosystems on the island are gone, our last chance at getting information from them will be gone forever!