A Case for Trans-Regional Intertidal Research in Unstudied Areas in the Northeast and Southeast Pacific: Filling the Gaps

Abstract

Large areas of the Pacific coast of the Americas remain unstudied regarding their intertidal ecosystems. Given the increasing disturbance related to human impacts on intertidal ecosystems, it is essential to gather census data on the biological composition of poorly studied regions so that a framework for future monitoring and management can be developed. Here, we synthesize the available research on intertidal communities along the Pacific rim to support the goal to fill bioregional gaps in knowledge in three less-studied areas in Southeast Alaska and Peru. A census of taxonomic and functional group hierarchies in these communities should include the use of various measures of alpha and beta diversity to provide a metric of temporal and spatial comparisons. A narrower-scale approach focusing on foundation species that harbor algal and invertebrate communities and serve as buffers against environmental stresses should also be conducted. Conducting a comprehensive census in poorly studied or unstudied areas will contribute to a better understanding of the response to disturbances caused by oil spills, El Niño and marine heatwaves and provide a latitudinal continuum of scientific knowledge about the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in rocky intertidal systems on a trans-regional scale.