Linking Variation in Coastal Oceanographic Conditions with Local Variation in Rocky Intertidal Community Structure

低岩石潮间带的群落结构在俄勒冈海岸明显不同。该项目将研究为什么具有高无根补充和浮游植物可用性的潮间带支持最高水平的猎物生产，这反过来又支持高丰度的食肉动物和食草动物。假定的高消费丰度的结果是对无根生物的更强的捕食和更弱的竞争。相比之下，还将研究具有高营养物和大藻丰度和低浮游植物可用性的潮间带。孟格博士假设，更丰富的大型藻类和/或更短的营养物质和浮游植物在近岸的停留时间更高的营养吸收是由于更强的近海洋流。为了验证这些假设，研究科学家将量化：(1)岸上和近海的营养、叶绿素和生产力；(2)洋流/上升流状态；(3)招募率和幼虫丰度；(4)猎物和大型藻类的生长速度；(5)两个地点的捕食、放牧和竞争强度。该项目还将评价近岸水柱过程对潮间带群落过程的一般性影响，方法是对群落结构和动态进行定量调查，以及对俄勒冈沿岸其他地点的海洋学条件进行定量调查。该项目的结果将为了解近岸海洋学条件对低岩石潮间带栖息地群落结构的影响提供相当大的见解。

Community structure of low rocky intertidal zones is strikingly different on the Oregon coast. This project will examine why an intertidal zone with high sessile recruitment and phytoplankton availability supports the highest levels of prey production, which in turn supports high abundance of carnivores and herbivores. The postulated result of high consumer abundance is stronger predation on, and weaker competition among, sessile organisms. For contrast, an intertidal zone with high nutrients and macroalgal abundance, and low phytoplankton availability will also be examined. Dr. Menge hypothesizes that higher nutrient uptake by the more abundant macroalgae and/or shorter residence time of nutrients and phytoplankton in nearshore is due to stronger offshore currents. To tests these hypotheses, research scientists will quantify: (1) nutrients, chlorophyll and productivity on- and offshore, (2) current/upwelling regimes, (3) recruitment rates and larval abundance, (4) prey and macroalgal growth rates, and (5) intensities of predation, grazing, and competition at both sites. The project will also evaluate the generality of the influence of nearshore water column processes on intertidal community processes by quantitative surveys of community structure and dynamics, and oceanographic conditions at other locations along the Oregon coast. The results from the project will provide considerable insight into the influence of nearshore oceanographic conditions on community structure in low rocky intertidal habitats.