Technician Report – Tuesday, October 19th

Happy Technician Tuesday! Our team has been busy testing methods for future monitoring protocols at Kus-kus-sum. As a starting point, we focused on invertebrates and sediments. The goal is to create a system of data collection to measure ecosystem health.

Benthic invertebrate sampling was tested by the team at Hollyhock flats. A net was placed in line with a channel’s flow, then someone held it in place and shuffled their feet slightly in front of it for two minutes. This dislodged invertebrates from the substrate so that the water flow would carry them into the net. The net was then emptied into a fine mesh sieve and rinsed with ocean water to remove silt. A small white container was filled with water and the sieve contents emptied into it. Invertebrates like crabs, worms, isopods, and amphipods were then identified. Invertebrate sampling will be used at Kus-kus-sum as a component of restoration success assessment as they are straightforward to sample and a well documented indicator of ecosystem health.

Sediment sampling was also tested. A PVC pipe was used to take a small sediment core. Its contents were then emptied into a white tray with a grid on it and flattened into a thin layer. Our team looked at the sediment sample to understand its ratio of cobble, pebble, gravel, sand, and mud. Once this monitoring method is implemented, it will be used at reference sites like Hollyhock to model sediment at Kus-kus-sum. Once Kus-kus-sum is restored, this monitoring method will be used there to plant the right species in each sediment condition.

In the future, volunteers will be collecting this data at Kus-kus-sum. Want to get involved? Join our volunteer list for opportunities and updates!