Macroalgal Monitoring in the Great Bay Estuary: 2018 Annual Report

Since 2013, the abundance and taxa of intertidal macroalgae have been assessed at fixed locations throughout the Great Bay Estuary in New Hampshire. Algal abundance may be influenced by environmental conditions such as nutrient levels, water temperature, light and invasive species. Therefore, abundance of different algal groups can provide insights into the overall health of the estuary and signal ecological change. In 2018, intertidal abundance data for percentage cover and biomass were collected, as planned, from five of the eight sites. For the first time, subtidal sampling arrays were also incorporated at all four sites in Great Bay proper to monitor macroalgae at lower elevations and to collect data on eelgrass communities coexisting with the algae