10/12/24 Morning Biodredge

Biodredge Report

Station: BioDredge / Rock Pile
Date: 3/16/2024, 9:59 am
Conditions: sunny, lt wind, 66°F
Latitude: 33° 40' 27" to 33° 40' 35" N
Longitude: 118° 13' 43" to 118° 13' 23" W

Sediment Desc: Gravel to cobble sized rocks = mostly siltstones

Kelp does not put down roots in the sediments on the seafloor. Instead, it anchors itself onto rocks. Many organisms make these rocks their own. The area on the San Pedro shelf called the "Rock Pile" is where the coastline used to be 10,000 years ago. As the planet warmed and the ice sheets melted, sealevels rose, covering this rocky coastline with seawater.

Below are some pictures of the organisms we collected during this biodredge. All creatures were returned to the ocean.

  • Rock Crab
  • Graceful Kelp Crab
  • Hermit Crab
  • Brittle Star
  • Brittle Star
  • White Sea Urchin (top)
  • White Sea Urchin (bottom)
  • Holdfast
  • Holdfast
  • Holdfast
  • Holdfast
  • Brown Cowrie Shell (top)
  • Brown Cowrie Shell (bottom)
  • Chiton
  • Chiton rolled up into a ball
  • Chiton
  • Kellet's Whelk (top)
  • Kellet's Whelk (bottom)
  • Nuttal's Hornmouth Snail (Top)
  • Nuttal's Hornmouth Snail (bottom)
  • Slipper Shell
  • Topsnail
  • Whelk