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

潮间带无脊椎动物，特别是小型动物(保留在45微米筛子上但通过1毫米筛子的动物)，可以成为监测和研究海洋系统的强大工具。小型动物群落的变化可能会在双壳类(文蛤、贻贝等)人类使用的物种之前向我们发出干扰警报。和鲑鱼受到影响。不幸的是，我们只有在从整体上理解潮间带群落的动态时，才能以这种方式使用这些群落。目前，关于评估加拿大太平洋沿岸潮间带无脊椎动物的最佳方法缺乏知识。这一缺陷在公元前北海岸尤为突出。鉴于最近批准在Skeena河口附近的乐鹿岛建设太平洋西北LNG终端，KitSumkalum Development Corporation(KitSumkalum First Nation)担心，与该LNG终端相关的超级油轮交通量增加将增加其传统领土上轻微和灾难性的燃料/LNG泄漏的风险。即使是生产性双壳类海滩附近的轻微泄漏也会对海洋生态系统、双壳类渔业造成毁灭性影响，并降低沿海和原住民社区的粮食安全。更好地了解不列颠哥伦比亚省北部海岸的小型动物将有助于更详细的监测，并及早发现轻微泄漏，以便对人类活动进行补救或改变。这项研究将通过评估有效利用潮间带小型底栖动物检测干扰所需的最佳分类分辨率和筛子大小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，并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.