Progress and Findings

Because funding was delayed close to six months from the original start date of July 1 1997, this project was not started until February 1998. Therefore, this is essentially a half-yearly report. Sites were selected and experiments were set up at Boathouse in February 1998. Tar patches were collected from the adjacent beach and applied to 10x10 cm 2 plots. Treatments consisted of 25%, 50%, and 100% cover of tar. These were paired with cleared (control) plots, for the total of 24 plots (including 4 replicates).

Slides were analyzed from the Shoreline Inventory Program, utilizing imaging software, to evaluate variation in the area of tar patches (oil from subtidal seeps) on Santa Cruz Island. This information was used to determine the sampling for the duration of this project schedule (every 2-3 months). Up to this point, variation in the area of tar patches had not been investigated. Tar patches appear to vary little in total area and are persistent through time. There was evidence of small differences in area between summer and winter, but these differences were not significant.

The experimental plots were sampled in March and in May. There was no change in the area of the tar patches, as indicated by the information obtained from the Santa Cruz Island plots. Further, there was very little to no barnacle recruitment to any of the plots.

Future Plans
Sampling will continue as planned. Once the tar patches show evidence of change (degradation), the control plots will be cleared, and barnacle recruitment to the tar plots and the control plots will be compared. Incorporation of other member species of the community will be evaluated.

As mentioned above, funding was not available until the beginning of 1998, about six months after the original start date of July 1, 1997.