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Summer growth at maximum in lower intertidal

Mid and upper are reduced because of daytime sunshine ‘kills’ more fragile algae from spring blooming

(see this page for lushness of lower intertidal --- and exoticness as usually not able to get into lower intertidal except during series low summer tides

Semibalanus ‘story’ dominates the month --- extremely fast growth during July --- tried to follow at one site but seastars cleared the area

Birding

Gulls have chicks in late July -- unusual??

Shorebirds return from Artic nesting areas – and oystercatchers vacate intertidal for nesting areas

State of the Ocean in 2005

I thought I was going to follow the bleaching events as last year – but there were none – at least by mid August (last year much removed by high tides)– Was 2005 thus atypical? Or was 2004 the odd ball year --- Numerous studies available -- here is my page on PDO regime changes emphasizing Hecate; 

Seems ocean is changing in unpredictable ways – 2004 was very atypical but 2005 less so locally (but extensive bird kills in OR and CA when California Current ‘failed’ in May June 2005

Sembalanus and breccia chaos

These Semibalanus large barnacles may last for decades and support a diverse community of algae and limpets (see earlier page-- monitoring site --- w rare algae; then seastars attack )  --- the seastars removed  them all this past winter -- but  Semibalanus does not seem able to recapture some sites ---

Why Not?

First I had to be sure the juvenile barnacles  were not mainly Semibalanus

Then I had to be sure what barnacle was recolonizing the breccia scoured zones --- yes it was Semibalanus and not Balanus

All that led me to conclude that conditions have changed in the ‘gut area’ --- currents not so strong?

 Plankton Blooms in Hecate during July August --- is upwelling the cause?? --- 

Plankton-- using Hecate Handbook I am working on main zooplankton (copepods done so far)  with phyto plankton to follow 

WWW satellite imagery allows us to monitor in almost real time

Breccia Chaos 

 While not developed here -- the storms move breccia in and out clearing away all previous life and allowing us to follow recolonization --- in theory this should be in stages from pioneer spp to mature --- but reality in breccia zone is chaos --- and toss in the seastars as predators who are as effective as the breccia at removing 'everyone' --- here are attempts to follow the 'Bay' / Pass --- mainly before and after --- but 'bolder watching' too --- swells as chaos

 Here about 2 months old -- 'teen-agers" photo??