Rocky Intertidal Community Monitoring at Channel Islands National Park 2010 Annual Report

Channel Islands National Park includes the five northern islands off the coast of southern California and the surrounding waters out one nautical mile. There is approximately 176 miles of coastline around the islands; about 80% of which is composed of rock. The diversity and undisturbed nature of the tidepools of this rocky coastline was recognized as a special feature of the islands in the enabling legislation. To conserve these communities unimpaired for future generations, the NPS has been monitoring the rocky intertidal communities at the islands since 1982. Sites were established between 1982 and 1994. Site selection considered visitation, accessibility, presence of representative organisms, wildlife disturbance, and safety. This report summarizes the 2010 sampling year efforts (from March 2010 to December 2010) and findings of the Channel Islands National Park (CINP) Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program.