Purpose
Puget Sound is characterized by distinct gradients of physical features from
its southern to northern extent, especially in the salinity and temperature
of the water and the amount of wave action. Paralleling these physical gradients
are biological gradients in the organisms living on the shorelines; in particular,
there is a striking increase in the number of species on the shore when one
compares beaches from south to north Sound. We are investigating the ecological
processes that generate these patterns of diversity and species composition.
The gradient in salinity may be important, but other important processes could
include how well organisms can colonize beaches, how fast they grow, and how
stable are the sediments on the beaches. We seek to understand what processes
(physical or ecological) are responsible for the diversity gradient, and how
modifications of these processes could lead to changes in our shorelines.
Our data will be relevant to understanding the patterns seen in various shoreline
monitoring programs; to understanding patterns of growth and abundance of important
shellfish species; and to predicting some of the ecological consequences of
changes in river flows (as they affect the salinity of the Sound), armoring
more beaches (as this affects the types of sediment on the shore), or climate
change.
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Proposal
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