Monitoring Macroalgae in the Great Bay Estuary for 2015

In 2015, five of the eight locations with fixed intertidal transects were sampled as part of the long-term effort to monitor macroalgae in the Great Bay Estuary. With the completion of the third year of the project, all eight locations have been sampled at least once, two years of data have been collected for four locations, and three years of data have been collected for one location, Monitoring results from 2015 show high levels of cover of nuisance green or red algae (Ulva and Gracilaria, respectively) at all sites sampled. Nuisance algae is characterized as fast-growing; it can interfere with human use of a system, and can result in dramatic impacts to valuable ecological components by smothering and causing anoxic episodes. Based upon this short-term data set we found significant cover and biomass of nuisance algae, some known as introduced, invasive species. Visual examination of our intertidal transect data along with anecdotal observations suggest that algal populations are changing, but long-term collections will be needed to determine whether significant differences in intertidal macroalgal populations are occurring over time