Mapping California’s Coastline Species
Marine biologists and researchers launched a comprehensive effort in July to document California’s intertidal ecosystems, building a DNA barcode library to track climate change effects on sensitive coastal habitats. Led by a coalition including the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, the California Ocean Protection Council, and the Southern California Coastal Research Project, the two-year project aims to log every organism from San Diego to the Oregon border.
Targeting Microscopic Life With State Funding
The project focuses on nearly microscopic invertebrates and algae in the intertidal zone—the narrow strip of coastline alternating between submersion at high tide and exposure at low tide. Funded by $10 million in state support, marine biologist Greg Rouse led a group of dozens of scientists last month to pull more than 7,000 samples near La Jolla’s Bird Rock. Testing is currently underway, and initial samples represent 1,600 species of invertebrates and algae, with hundreds potentially new to science, according to Rouse.
Preserving Physical Specimens at L.A. County Museum
Once collected and analyzed at Scripps, physical specimens and their DNA profiles will be transferred to a massive library housed at the L.A. County Natural History Museum. Regina Wetzer, curator of marine biodiversity at the museum, noted that focusing on invertebrates and algae addresses a major understanding gap regarding tiny organisms at the base of the food chain. Without a clear baseline of who eats whom, scientists cannot properly trace the cascade of networks feeding larger carnivorous fish and birds, according to Wetzer.
Unlocking Environmental DNA and E-DNA Testing
Dean Pentcheff, project manager of the Diversity Initiative for the Southern California Ocean, stated that scientists have largely operated in the dark without a clear baseline to manage shore resources responsibly. The DNA library will lay the groundwork for environmental DNA (E-DNA) testing, allowing researchers to collect biological detritus naturally sloughed off by organisms in water or sand. Because E-DNA provides a snapshot list of present organisms, the statewide reference library will supply the necessary genetic reference sequences to put names to those species, according to Pentcheff.
Defending Protected Areas Against Rising Seas
Officials charged with protecting state marine environments plan to use the data to answer questions regarding invasive species and northward species range shifts, according to Mike Esgro of the California Ocean Protection Council. Esgro oversees California’s Marine Protected Areas, which cover about 16% of coastal waters. Esgro stated that the library could help officials identify vulnerable environments, determine which areas need state protection, and help scientists figure out how to shift tidal habitats inland to compensate for rising sea levels.