numbering millions of individuals, including rare and endangered species. 

 The upland habitats also support a large variety of mammals, including 

 rare and endangered species. Some terrestrial components of the coastal 

 ecosystems will be damaged or destroyed by the effects of oil and gas 

 activities. Processing and storage facilities along the coast will 

 alter habitats primarily in Santa Barbara County and possibly in San 

 Diego County. However, the Coastal Commission's restriction of further 

 industrialization to areas of existing industrial development, and 

 prohibition of any new development of oil and gas facilities in bio- 

 logically sensitive areas, could reduce upland destruction from OCS 

 development. 



Marine components of the coastal ecosystems include rocky shores, 

 sandy beaches, subsea canyons, estuaries, bays and marshes, and the 

 Channel Islands. In offshore areas, nutrients are supplied from 

 sediments and rich cold-water upwel lings. The latter are especially 

 important in California where varying amounts of nutrients are yielded 

 each year to the inshore waters. Two coastal current regimes cir- 

 culate nutrients throughout the Davidson and the Oceanic regions of 

 Southern California. Estimated rate of movement of the waters in the 



inshore areas is a total replacement 1 to 2 times per year, and around 



12 

 the islands, 3 to 4 times per year. 



The nutrient circulation of the Southern California current system 



supports representatives from 25 known phyla of marine animals and 617 



known benthic marine plant species. Marine vertebrates found in 



Southern California waters include fishes, mammals (cetaceans and 



1 3 

 pinnepeds), reptiles, and birds. 



57 



