Powerpoint template for scientific posters Swarthmore College

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Monitoring, mapping and surveying of the new
Mineral Creek State Park Area
Valdez Youth Area Watch StudentsValdez High
School , Valdez, Alaska 99686
Results
Introduction The Valdez Youth Area Watch group w
ill be continuing the ongoing project of mapping
and surveying Mineral Creek State Park. The
purpose of this project is to gather information
for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and
the the city of Valdez, because of the interest
for further development.
Mineral Creek State Park Development Plans

• Marine Animal Life Survey
• Pacific Blue Mussel (Mytilis edulas)
• Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita)
• Acorn Barnacle (Chthamalus dalli)
• Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
• Sunflower Star (Pycnopodia helianthoides)
• Clam Worm
• Beach Hoppers
• Pacific Littleneck Clam (Protothaca staminea)
• Salmon tellin
• No Green Crabs (Carcinus maenas)
• Rockweed Isopods (Idotea sp.)
• Sand Flea (Traskorchestia traskiana)
• Dunce Cap Limpets
• Butterclams

• PROS
• Easier access for people with disabilities or
  young children.
  
• Toilet facilities close by- more sanitary?
• CONS
• The parking lot is 50m from an active eagles
  nest.
  
• Toilet facilities and garbage too close to
  pristine area. (flood danger)
  
• Boardwalk crosses known bear trails.

• PROS
• Parking lot- less impact on eagles nest
• Less potential pollution from toilet garbage.
• CONS
• Access is more restrictive and a longer walking
  distance is required for people with disabilities
  or with young children.
  
• Boardwalk crosses known bear trails.

• Plant Life Survey
• Sea Lettuce
• Rockweed
• Red Algae

Materials and methods We will be using G.P.S.s
to map the various ecological zones and note the
locations of bald eagle nesting sites, bear
trails, and anadromous streams. We will also do
random and maximum density counts on the
intertidal life in the Mineral Creek area with
the aid of mud-core and quadrat sampling

• PROS
• Easier access to area
• Toilet facilities close by- more sanitary?
• Boardwalk doesnt cross known bear trails
• CONS
• Parking lot is too close to active eagles nest
• Toilet facilities too close to pristine area.
• Boardwalk in lower intertidal zone may affect
  feeding of shore birds, introduce more garbage
  

• Bird Survey
• Mergansers
• Kittiwakes
• Crows
• Arctic Terns
• Bald Eagles
• Canada geese
• Barrows Goldeneye

Students had to ski or snowshoe to area.
Student conducting maximum density count of
purple mussels (Mytilis edulas).
Conclusions Until more data is collected again
this year in the Mineral Creek State Park area,
and until the Mineral Creek State Park
development begins, there is little to conclude
concerning what effect extensive human use could
have on the areas ecosystem. Water quality
testing will also be introduced into our
surveying data this year, to evaluate what
effects future development of the Mineral Creek
area has on the water quality. The baseline data
we collect this year will be compared with last
years data to help project the impact of
increased human usage as development looms on the
horizon.
Student conducting maximum density count of
purple mussels (Mytilis edulas).
We used 25cm x 25cm quadrats we made.
Maximum density testing was done on barnacles
and mussels present in the area in April 2005.
By taking the count in 3 different quadrants we
had designated, we averaged the maximum density
of barnacles (760) and mussels (83). We also
took the random density, again designating 3
quadrants and averaging the random densities of
barnacles (130) and mussels (49).
This year we will add mud core sampling to our
surveying methods.
Student making observations of life in a tidal
pool.