Rosario Beach Project - short version

Pre-Field Trip Checklist

Read all of Rosario Beach Project packet (this document).
Know Guidelines for Beach Protection.
Learn how to identify intertidal zones.
Study the map of Rosario Beach.

Field Trip Checklist

While at Rosario beach complete these activities:

Abiotic Factors Data Sheet.
North Beach descriptions and sketches.
South Beach descriptions and sketches.
Tide Pool description and sketch.
Headland Vegetation description with flower sketch.
Reflective Writing.

Work Expectations - During The Field Trip

Work by yourself or with others. MAX GROUP SIZE = 3.
Act in a safe, responsible manner.
Know the Guidelines for Beach Protection and make sure you follow them.

Guidelines For Beach Protection

Turn The Rocks Back Over.
If you want to turn over a rock, do so gently. Do not to crush animals living on, beside, or under the rock. Put the rock back the way it was. Animals will have moved from under the rock and on the bottom of the rock as you picked it, so don't trap them.
Fill In Any Holes
When digging for burrowing animals do not leave piles of sand or mud on the beach. Burrowing animals could float away or die when the tide returns. The unnatural holes and piles of material may kill other animals.
Avoid Walking On Animals
When on the rocky shore, walk on bare rock or patches of sand between rocks. Don't crush barnacles, limpets and periwinkles. Do not run. Do not walk on seaweed. Remember there are many organisms underneath the seaweed.
Cover Examined Animals
After investigating animals be sure to return the animals to their tide pool or put them under protective seaweed.

Hundreds of people visit these tidepools. We all must "walk lightly".

Intertidal Zones

The intertidal zone refers to the shoreline affected by tidal water level changes. Tides expose portions of the rocky shore to the air for varying lengths of time. This creates a variety of habitats for organisms. We divide the intertidal into sub-zones based upon how often or how long the exposure is. Organisms that can tolerate more exposure to air temperature extremes, solar heating, etc, occupy higher zones. They may be driven there by predator pressure. We use "marker organisms" has guides to these zones. We will use the following divisions of the intertidal zone:

Zone 1 - Supralittoral
1. From mean of all high tides to spray. Above +7 ft tides.
2. Infrequently wetted.
3. Markers: lichens, amphipods, some barnacles, periwinkles.
Zone 2 - Upper midlittoral
1. From "sea level" and above. +4 ft to +7 ft tides.
2. More time in air than water.
3. Markers: rockweed, barnacles, limpets.
Zone 3 - Lower midlittoral
1. From mean of low tides to "sea level". 0 ft to +4 ft tides.
2. More time in water than air.
3. Markers: mussels, crabs, sea stars.
Zone 4 - Infralittoral
1. Minus tides. 0 ft tides and below.
2. Rarely exposed.
3. Markers: anemones, chitons, nudibranches.

Map Of Rosario Beach Park

At Rosario Beach, waves lose energy as they are refracted, or bent, around the headland. A weak longshore current (current moving along the shore) is the result of this refraction. The energy of the waves and amount of drift decrease down the beach (toward the headland). This changes the distribution of beach sediments. Rosario is a good example of what is termed a "headland - bay - beach."

The headland rocks you will see include greenish pillow basalts. These form during submarine eruptions. The dark gray to black rocks are fine-grained sedimentary rocks formed of sediments eroded from volcanoes. These rocks formed about 130 to 160 mya (dinosaurs). The white ribbons seen are the skeletal remains of oceanic microorganisms! Some of the rocks appear to be slightly metamorphosed.

Abiotic Factors Data Sheet	Sunrise: 5:15 AM	Sunrise: 9:00 PM
Low tide (Reservation Bay)	-2.1 ft	12:36 PM
High tide	8.1 ft	8:53 PM
Wind	strength:	direction:
% Cloud cover:
Precipitation:
Air temp:

Beach Data Parameter	North beach	South beach
Water temp
Water color (clear/cloudy)
Water surface (calm / ripples / waves / whitecaps)
Est. wave height (just prior to breaking)
Number of waves per minute

North Beach

Walk the beach from the center of the beach to where it ends at the headland.

Write a general description of the beach.
Sketch an aerial view (from a gull's eye view) of beach:
Sketch a side view (cross-section) of beach:

For your two sketches include at least these items.

a. water/wave patterns and trends	b. locations of sediments of different sizes	c. sediment patterns
d. locations of logs	e. slope changes

South Beach

Walk the beach from the center of the beach to where it ends at the headland.

Write a general description of the beach.
Sketch an aerial view (from a gull's eye view) of beach:
Sketch a side view (cross-section) of beach:

For your two sketches include at least these items.

a. water/wave patterns and trends	b. locations of sediments of different sizes	c. sediment patterns
d. locations of logs	e. slope changes

Tide Pools:

Find a SMALL tide pool to study IN DETAIL. Be still, quiet, and observant - it takes time for the different organisms to come out from hiding after you've stopped moving.
1. Sketch your tide pool.
2. Estimate the length of each "side" of your tide pool.
3. Identify the different organisms you see as best as you can.
4. Count the number of each organism type.
5. Display all this information in a diagram. Include a legend.
Make notes about these organisms you noticed and others that did not show up on your detailed tide pool study.

Headland

Walk around the headland on the main trail ONLY, taking great care by the cliff edges.
Write a general description of the vegetation you see on your walk (notice the many different types of deciduous and coniferous trees, grasses, mosses, lichens, and herbaceous plants).
Find and carefully draw one flower (your teacher should be able to identify the flower from the drawing!).

Time for Reflective Writing.

Find a quiet spot and sit silently and alone for about ten minutes.
Describe the non-human sights, sounds, and smells you notice.