PISCO: Intertidal: MLPA baseline: Central Coast: Coastal Biodiversity Surveys: Topography Surveys

This metadata record documents the Topography surveys for MLPA baseline intertidal coastal biodiversity surveys conducted by PISCO. Topography sampling consists of recording the elevation (relative to mean low low water) along 11 transects of variable length extending from the upper intertidal to the low intertidal. Intertidal surveys are comprised of four components, all sampled along the same transects: (1) point contact estimates of intertidal cover and substrate characteristics, (2) swath transects to estimate the density of seastars and abalone, (3) quadrat sampling to estimate the density of mobile invertebrates, and (4) topography (elevation relative to mean low low water (mllw)). Intertidal coastal biodiversity surveys are conducted throughout the year at sites ranging from Southeast Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. Selected sites are resampled on a 3-5 year cycle. A site is defined as a contiguous rocky bench of at least 30m. In 2007, 10 additional biodiversty sites were established along the coast of central California to monitor Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) established by the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).