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appendix b final 2008 biological surveys of los angeles and long ...

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1.0 Introduction<br />

1.4 STUDY OBJECTIVES<br />

SAIC was contracted by the Ports to conduct the<br />

present Biological Study in Los Angeles <strong>and</strong> Long<br />

Beach Harbors. All sampling locations for the<br />

present study are presented in Figure 1.1-3. The<br />

goal was to provide an update <strong>of</strong> quantitative<br />

information from the previous <strong>biological</strong> baseline<br />

study conducted in 2000 (MEC 2002). Specific<br />

objectives were to:<br />

• Provide physical/chemical<br />

characterization <strong>of</strong> environmental<br />

conditions during summer by measuring water quality <strong>and</strong> sediment grain size;<br />

• Provide an update on the status <strong>of</strong> larval, juvenile, <strong>and</strong> adult fish populations;<br />

• Provide an update on the status <strong>of</strong> the benthic invertebrate communities;<br />

• Provide an updated description <strong>of</strong> <strong>biological</strong> communities attached to rocky riprap<br />

habitats;<br />

• Provide an update <strong>of</strong> the harbor bird communities, including a summary <strong>of</strong> marine<br />

mammals observed during the <strong>surveys</strong>;<br />

• Map kelp <strong>and</strong> eelgrass distributions <strong>and</strong> describe macroalgae communities;<br />

• Identify the relative occurrence <strong>of</strong> non-indigenous (exotic) species among native<br />

populations;<br />

• Provide a comparison <strong>of</strong> changes in current marine habitats with previous (historical)<br />

studies; <strong>and</strong><br />

• Provide a comparison <strong>of</strong> between benthic sampling methods.<br />

The objectives listed above were accomplished by using the same study design followed by the<br />

Ports for previous baseline studies in consultation with various resource agencies, including<br />

California Department <strong>of</strong> Fish <strong>and</strong> Game, National Marine Fisheries Service, <strong>and</strong> U.S. Fish <strong>and</strong><br />

Wildlife Service. For most tasks conducted during this study, the survey station locations<br />

remained the same as those sampled during the 2000 <strong>biological</strong> baseline study (MEC, 2002).<br />

Details concerning the number <strong>of</strong> stations <strong>and</strong> frequency <strong>of</strong> sampling for each resource area are<br />

presented in their respective chapters. Generally, the study design allowed for similar numbers<br />

<strong>of</strong> stations to be sampled within each port <strong>and</strong> corresponded to the range <strong>of</strong> representative<br />

habitat types within each area.<br />

MEC (2002) described the marine communities in the harbor complex by means <strong>of</strong> summary<br />

measures such as number <strong>of</strong> species, abundance, <strong>and</strong> biomass, <strong>and</strong> diversity indices that<br />

describe general community structure. St<strong>and</strong>ardized mean community summary measures<br />

were used for comparisons with historical <strong>biological</strong> data. Species lists were reviewed for the<br />

presence <strong>of</strong> non-indigenous species by qualified taxonomists with specific expertise in the<br />

identification <strong>of</strong> Southern California Bight marine organisms. The current study utilized all <strong>of</strong> the<br />

community measures <strong>and</strong> historical comparisons described above.<br />

<strong>2008</strong> Biological Surveys <strong>of</strong> Los Angeles <strong>and</strong> Long Beach Harbors 1–3<br />

April 2010

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