Substrate Effects on Intertidal Settlement and Succession
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
marine biology, populations, pollution, anthropogenic, population ecology, tidepools
Department
Biology
Major
Biology and History
Abstract
Settlement and succession on different substrate types are important research topics as we introduce artificial materials in our natural environment for development or coastal hardening. Previous studies on succession in Malibu’s intertidal zone communities have focused on recovery rates of organisms found in the intertidal zone rather than the effects of substrate on community composition. Four different types of substrate (n = 4 for each substrate type) (1) terracotta tiles, (2) PVC tiles, (3) porous granite tiles, and (4) ridged granite tiles were affixed onto rocks at Latigo Beach in Malibu over a period of 3-6 months. The tiles were observed every 1-2 weeks, depending on tidal height and accessibility. We found no statistically significant differences between tile substrate and community composition over the project's timespan. The data from the 6-month time point showed greater biodiversity and higher percent cover of Ulva sp., sand, and benthic invertebrates for the terracotta tile. Preliminary results show that a longer experimental timeframe may start to show differences in community composition and abundance by substrate type. Future research should focus on seasonal differences in community composition on different substrate types. This research is important to understand better the restoration potential of these substrate types in the intertidal, similar to the research on artificial reef restoration practices. The results from this project can also be used to understand the effects of biofouling on plastics.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Florybeth La Valle
Funding Source or Research Program
Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
24-3-2023 2:00 PM
End Date
24-2-2023 4:00 PM
Substrate Effects on Intertidal Settlement and Succession
Waves Cafeteria
Settlement and succession on different substrate types are important research topics as we introduce artificial materials in our natural environment for development or coastal hardening. Previous studies on succession in Malibu’s intertidal zone communities have focused on recovery rates of organisms found in the intertidal zone rather than the effects of substrate on community composition. Four different types of substrate (n = 4 for each substrate type) (1) terracotta tiles, (2) PVC tiles, (3) porous granite tiles, and (4) ridged granite tiles were affixed onto rocks at Latigo Beach in Malibu over a period of 3-6 months. The tiles were observed every 1-2 weeks, depending on tidal height and accessibility. We found no statistically significant differences between tile substrate and community composition over the project's timespan. The data from the 6-month time point showed greater biodiversity and higher percent cover of Ulva sp., sand, and benthic invertebrates for the terracotta tile. Preliminary results show that a longer experimental timeframe may start to show differences in community composition and abundance by substrate type. Future research should focus on seasonal differences in community composition on different substrate types. This research is important to understand better the restoration potential of these substrate types in the intertidal, similar to the research on artificial reef restoration practices. The results from this project can also be used to understand the effects of biofouling on plastics.