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Intertidal

Intertidal. By Kellianna & Alan . Problem/Purpose. To determine if Maili Beach Park’s intertidal ecosystem is healthy. Hypothesis.

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Intertidal

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  1. Intertidal By Kellianna & Alan

  2. Problem/Purpose • To determine if Maili Beach Park’s intertidal ecosystem is healthy

  3. Hypothesis • 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

  4. Procedures • 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

  5. Characteristics 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)

  6. Energy Flow in an Intertidal ecosystem Producers(Algae/Seaweed) Decomposers(plankton, some seastars) SUN Secondary Consumers(reef fish, small crab, some sea stars) Primary Consumers(Sea urchins, sponges,sea cucumbers) Tertiary consumers(eels)

  7. Human 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

  8. Data Table

  9. Data Table (continued)

  10. Data 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 moisture BUT! • 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?!

  11. Preservation/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

  12. Preservation/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

  13. 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!

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