Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve

23 May, 07 AM - 30 May, 02 PM

We are requesting approval to begin a caging experiment at BMR, mentioned in the initial research application for this project. The goal of this component of the project is to test whether predatory snails (Nucella canaliculata) with different drilling phenotypes lead to differences in the trajectory of mussel bed succession in the field. Nucella egg capsules will be collected from Bodega Marine Reserve (20 sets of capsules) in May/June 2020. When snails hatch in the lab, they will be divided and raised on 4 diets (barnacles, Mytilus trossulus, thin M. californianus, thick M. californianus). This is essentially a selection experiment, and we expect these diet treatments to lead to snails with divergent drilling capacities (e.g., stronger vs. weaker drillers). After one year in the lab (Summer 2021), surviving snails in each diet treatments will be outplanted to field cages arranged in blocks of five (the 4 lab diet treatments, plus a control with no snails). We will monitor field cages for one year to test how the different snail treatments influence succession within the cages (e.g., percent cover and sizes of barnacles and mussels through time). In order to prepare for caging in Summer 2021, we need to prepare plots at least 1 year in advance to allow time for colonization by barnacles and mussels on the rock (which will then be enclosed in cages before adding the snails). The proposed study design is 14 blocks x 5 treatments = 70 cages. Stainless steel cages will be 20 x 20cm and attached to the rock with bolts. These are identical to cages used in BMR in 2007-2008 (Sanford and Worth 2010). To prepare the prey community in May 2020 for future caging, we propose to use hand tools to scrape 70 plots, each 25 x 25 cm, in sets of 5. Areas scraped will be within existing mid-intertidal mussel bed disturbance gaps (i.e., to minimize disturbance to intact mussel beds with adult mussels). We propose to start with establishing plots at Mussel Point, and rocky areas to the east adjacent to Salmon Creek Beach. If it is not possible to fit 14 blocks there, we propose to place 6 blocks in the mussel beds just to the north of the wooden stairs in front of BML. We will coordinate with BMR staff regarding appropriate locations for these cages. We note that we had hoped to scrape the plots earlier, and there is urgency in doing this now so that the plots will have at least a year to accumulate recruitment of barnacles and mussels before cages are installed in June 2021.

Visit #67821 @Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 42007 | Research

Eco-evolutionary dynamics of a marine predator-prey interaction

faculty - University of California, Davis

Reservation Members(s)

Eric Sanford May 23 - 30, 2020 (8 days)
Emily Longman May 23 - 30, 2020 (8 days)
Sarah Merolla May 23 - 30, 2020 (8 days)
Isabelle Neylan May 23 - 30, 2020 (8 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Bodega Marine Reserve 3 May 22 - 30, 2020