Abstract
Rocky intertidal shores, commonly called “tidepools”, occur at the interface between the terrestrial and marine environments. The unique physical complexity of this system lends itself to high biological diversity, including many species found only within this narrow band of coastal habitat. The accessibility of rocky shores provides people with an important connection to the marine environment, but also makes them vulnerable to degradation from human activities. Natural variation in environmental conditions and community structure in rocky intertidal systems can occur on the scale of months, years, and even decades. Therefore long-term, well-designed monitoring programs are essential for distinguishing between natural and human-induced changes. At the core of the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) program is a simple and inexpensive, yet statistically sound approach to collecting long-term monitoring data. This approach has enabled the program to grow into a multi-organization consortium that monitors sites along the entire Pacific Coast of North America, from Alaska to Mexico (see map, opposite). The MARINe monitoring approach provides a wealth of information about the structure and dynamics of rocky intertidal communities along the Pacific Coast of North America. It is the largest and longest running program of its kind: sites in many regions have been sampled for 20-30 years. Here we provide an overview of the MARINe program and highlight how our data have been used to inform resource managers at the local, state, and federal levels about the impacts of both natural and human-induced disturbances.