Biological Monitoring
Coastal Environments conducts environmental monitoring studies designed to document compliance with regulatory discharge standards, and field experimentation studies designed to elucidate the type and magnitude of ecological effects and predict impacts. CE understands both the appropriate applications and limitations of the interpretability of the data. CE associates are skilled at assisting clients in determining the most important environmental questions, restating those questions in terms of hypotheses, selecting an appropriate model, and identifying the best sampling and experimental design for each project. CE is especially experienced in coordinating studies involving nearshore coastal ecosystems and offers a strong capability in coupling physical, geological, and biological disciplines in designing and implementing efficient environmental sampling plans.
As an example, Coastal Environments prepared a report of the possible physical impacts of the proposed mitigation kelp reef that Southern California Edison is proposing to construct off San Clemente, California. Impacts to waves, beaches, currents, and nearshore sedimentation were assessed. The results of this study were included in the Environmental Impact Report submitted to the California Coastal Commission.
- Water and sediment quality studies
- Marine and freshwater community analysis
- Endangered species assessments
- Biological inventories
- Pollution effects analysis
- Underwater photography and video surveys
- Antifouling studies
- Field experiments
- Ecological risk assessment
Some projects we have worked on for biological monitoring include:
