Event Title
Japanese eelgrass (Z. japonica) monitoring
Description
Japanese Eelgrass (Zostera japonica) has successfully invaded the Pacific Coast of North America. Since its introduction into Washington in 1957 it has moved up to Boundary Bay, Nanaimo, and Ucluelet. Thought as beneficial for a fisheries perspective, Z. japonica provides many of the same functions as native eelgrass, Zostera marina. However, it alters sediments and affects foraging habitats of shorebirds. Mapping and monitoring the spread of Japanese eelgrass is important for management purposes. There has been eelgrass mapping efforts in Tofino in previous years, but mainly mapping native eelgrass. I mapped the distribution, and abundance of Japanese eelgrass in a section of the Tofino Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Z. japonica was growing in large beds along the low tide line on the north side of Mike's Island. It was growing in monospecific and mixed populations with Z. marina, and may have been intermixed with Z. marina ecotype typica, an ecotype of Z. marina that is similar in appearance to Z. japonica and is found in the intertidal zone along with Z. japonica. This information can serve as baseline data for further mapping of Japanese eelgrass in the WMA, and the site can be used for future annual monitoring initiatives.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
8-3-2008 8:00 AM
Subject - LCSH
Dwarf eelgrass--Monitoring--British Columbia--Tofino;
End Date
8-3-2008 5:00 PM
Session
Poster Session
Genre/Form
posters
Type
event
Geographic Coverage
Tofino (B.C.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Keywords
eelgrass, Z. japonica, mapping, monitoring, Tofino
Japanese eelgrass (Z. japonica) monitoring
Japanese Eelgrass (Zostera japonica) has successfully invaded the Pacific Coast of North America. Since its introduction into Washington in 1957 it has moved up to Boundary Bay, Nanaimo, and Ucluelet. Thought as beneficial for a fisheries perspective, Z. japonica provides many of the same functions as native eelgrass, Zostera marina. However, it alters sediments and affects foraging habitats of shorebirds. Mapping and monitoring the spread of Japanese eelgrass is important for management purposes. There has been eelgrass mapping efforts in Tofino in previous years, but mainly mapping native eelgrass. I mapped the distribution, and abundance of Japanese eelgrass in a section of the Tofino Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Z. japonica was growing in large beds along the low tide line on the north side of Mike's Island. It was growing in monospecific and mixed populations with Z. marina, and may have been intermixed with Z. marina ecotype typica, an ecotype of Z. marina that is similar in appearance to Z. japonica and is found in the intertidal zone along with Z. japonica. This information can serve as baseline data for further mapping of Japanese eelgrass in the WMA, and the site can be used for future annual monitoring initiatives.