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Problems in ecological monitoring in Port Valdez, Alaska

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

E. B. Cowell  and
D. C. Monk
E. B. Cowell
Affiliation:
British Petroleum Company Limited, Britannic House, Moor Lane, London EC2Y 9BU
D. C. Monk
Affiliation:
BP Trading Limited, BP Research Centre, Chertsey Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex TW16 7LN
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Synopsis

The technical and scientific problems of ecological monitoring at Port Valdez, Alaska are discussed. Particular attention is given to the problems created by lack of understanding of the processes of the Alaskan Rocky Shore ecosystem and the paucity of data on the natural stresses controlling temporal and spatial variation in populations. In addition, taxonomic difficulties, particularly in the littoral macroalgae, further compound survey problems.

The paper suggests some possible approaches that could be applied and is illustrated by data taken on baseline surveys made in 1977. Particular attention is given to unexpected age size distributions in the limpet Collisella pelta.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 80: The marine environment of Sullom Voe and the implication of oil developments , 1981 , pp. 355 - 366
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1981

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