Optimization of ecosystem monitoring methods along the north coast of British Columbia, Canada

潮间无脊椎动物，特别是小型底栖动物（动物留在45微米的筛子上，但通过1毫米的筛子），可以成为监测和研究海洋系统的有力工具。小型底栖生物群落的变化可能会在人类使用双壳类物种（蛤，贻贝等）之前提醒我们干扰。和鲑鱼受到影响。不幸的是，我们只能以这种方式使用这些社区时，潮间带群落动态是整体理解。目前，缺乏有关评估加拿大太平洋沿岸沿着潮间带无脊椎动物的最佳方法的知识。这种缺陷在不列颠哥伦比亚省的北海岸尤为突出。鉴于最近批准的太平洋西北部液化天然气终端将建在Lelu岛上，靠近Skeena河口，Kitsumkalum开发公司（Kitsumkalum第一民族）担心与该液化天然气终端相关的超级油轮运输量增加将增加其传统领土内轻微和灾难性燃料/液化天然气泄漏的风险。即使是在多产双壳贝类海滩附近的轻微泄漏，也会对海洋生态系统、双壳贝类渔业产生破坏性影响，并降低沿海和原住民社区的粮食安全。对不列颠哥伦比亚省北海岸沿着小型底栖生物有更深入的了解，就可以进行更详细的监测，并及早发现轻微的溢油，以便采取补救措施或改变人类活动。本研究将通过评估有效利用潮间带小型底栖生物检测干扰所需的最佳分类分辨率和筛孔尺寸来解决这一知识差距。这些发现将提高我们研究和监测加拿大大西洋和太平洋沿岸沿着潮间带生境的能力;有助于保护沿海生态系统和商业双壳类渔业，以及加强沿海和原住民社区的粮食安全。

Intertidal invertebrates, especially meiofauna (animals retained on a 45 µm sieve but pass through a 1 mmsieve), can be powerful tools to monitor and study marine systems. Changes to meiofauna communities canpotentially alert us of disturbances before human-use species like bivalves (clams, mussels, etc.) and salmonare impacted. Unfortunately we can only use these communities in this way when intertidal communitydynamics are holistically understood. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the optimal methods toassess intertidal invertebrates along the Pacific Coast of Canada. This deficiency is especially prominent alongthe north coast of BC. Given the recently approved Pacific Northwest LNG terminal to be built on Lelu Island,near the mouth of the Skeena River, the Kitsumkalum Development Corporation (Kitsumkalum First Nation) isconcerned that the increased supertanker traffic associated with this LNG terminal will increase the risk ofminor and catastrophic fuel/LNG spills in their traditional territory. Even minor spills near productive bivalvebeaches would have devastating impacts upon the marine ecosystem, bivalve fisheries, and decrease foodsecurity for coastal and First Nations communities. A greater understanding of meiofauna along the north coastof BC will allow for more detailed monitoring, and detection of minor spills early enough to allow forremediation or alteration of human activities. This study will address this knowledge gap by assessing theoptimal taxonomic resolution and sieve size needed to effectively utilize intertidal meiofauna to detectdisturbances. These findings will improve our ability to study and monitor intertidal habitats along both theAtlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada; helping protect coastal ecosystems and commercial bivalve fisheries, aswell as enhancing food security for coastal and First Nation communities.