home    people     leadership team     advisory committee     funding sources   initiatives     sci/mngmnt linkages     water quality     habitat     bioindicators     human access     economic indicators     collaborative fisheries   taxonomic databases     marine life gallery     invertebrates   news & info     ecosystem overview     dashboard     in the news     downloads     links		Habitat Initiative People: John Stephens, Jr. — Co-Director, Executive Director, Vantuna Research Group, Occidental College — Faunal Analysis Dan Pondella — Co-Director, Director, Vantuna Research Group, Occidental College — Faunal Analysis Rikk Kvitek — Co-Director, Professor and Director, Seafloor Mapping Lab, Cal State University Monterey Bay — Habitat Mapping Royden Nakamura, Professor, Biological Sciences Department, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — Faunal Analysis Erin Nakada, Research Assistant, Biological Sciences Department, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo What is it? This initiative will provide high-resolution (1-3m grid) bathymetry and habitat GIS products for the areas within the Morro Bay ecosystem. Morro Bay Estuary resident and seasonally resident fish species will be identified and their distribution among available habitats will be mapped. This initiative will also specifically address the California halibut to determine the proportion of the population in the Morro Bay ecosystem that is a product of the Morro Bay Estuary. Goals Determine the relevant extents, distributions, and characteristics of critical spawning and nursery areas for nearshore fish and invertebrates species in the Morro Bay ecosystem. Determine the importance of the bay/estuary as a nursery environment for coastal species of fish and invertebrates.