Field Research

Most of the field research I have helped with has been done through Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association, a partner non-profit if the Tijuana Estuary National Estuarine Research Reserve. The research focuses on the monitoring of southern California’s coastal wetlands.

Percent Quadrat Method (using Survey123) in high marsh
Percent Quadrat Method (using Survey123)
Percent Quadrat Method in the marsh
Percent Quadrat Method in low marsh (looking at cordgrass)
Percent Quadrat Method in the marsh
Percent Quadrat Method looking at sea lavender
Line Intercept Method

Vegetation Sampling

I have assisted in percent quadrat vegetation sampling, as well as line-intercept method of vegetation sampling for almost three years now. Most of the sampling is conducted along 20-50 meter transects in the wetlands of the Tijuana River NERR and Los Penasquitos Lagoon. Naturally, we encounter different types of vegetation along the transect as elevation changes, meaning we identify anywhere from 1-50 something different species of plants.

Fish seining in Los Peñasquitos Lagoon
Setting out minnow traps
Blue cancer in minnow trap
Measuring a mudsucker
Measuring a mudsucker
Teaching a volunteer how to measure minnows
Stuck in the mud

Fish Sampling

I have assisted in the fish monitoring sampling through minnow traps and fish seining methods for almost three years. The excursions I have led have been in the Tijuana River NERR and the South San Diego Bay salt ponds using the minnow trap method. We mainly find different types of mudsuckers and gobies, as well as two types of crabs.

Pismo Clam Monitoring

I created a guideline procedure for the monitoring of pismo clams in Border Field State Park. While the procedure is in the beginning stages of testing, I’m hoping it will be useful in determining habitat health in the future.

Helping with Sedimentation Erosion Table Surveying

Other Types of Field Research

SETs, Soil, Phytoplankton, grunion monitoring, phacellia monitoring,