Broad-scale non-indigenous species monitoring along the west coast in National Marine Sanctuaries and National Estuarine Research Reserves

Broad-scale non-indigenous species monitoring along the west coast in National Marine Sanctuaries and National Estuarine Research Reserves (2005)

Catherine E. deRivera, Greg Ruiz, Jeff Crooks, Kerstin Wasson, Steve Lonhart, Paul Fofonoff, Brian Steves, Steve Rumrill, Mary Sue Brancato, Scott Pegau, Doug Bulthuis, Rikke Kvist Preisler, Carl Schoch, Ed Bowlby, Andrew DeVogelaere, Maurice Crawford, Steve Gittings, Anson Hines, Lynn Takata, Kristen Larson, Tami Huber, Anne Marie Leyman, Esther Collinetti, Tiffany Pascot, Suzanne Shull, Mary Anderson, Sue Powell

Report to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

SUMMARY (partial)

Nonindigenous species have caused substantial environmental and economic damage to coastal areas. Moreover, the extent and impacts of nonindigenous species are increasing over time. To develop predictive models and to identify which areas should be targeted for impact mitigation or early detection, we need a basic foundation of knowledge about the spatial and temporal patterns of invasions. This project was developed because we lacked the necessary data to rigorously evaluate the patterns of coastal invasions. This collaborative project, between the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) and the National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), established a rigorous, largescale monitoring and research program for invasive species in nine protected coastal areas along the US West Coast from San Diego, CA, to Kachemak Bay, AK. Our research included two components, broad-scale and site-specific projects.