ROCKY SHORE SURVEY 



Rocky shores in the Millstone Point area support a diverse and 

 abundant community throughout the year. From October 1982 through 

 September 1983, a total of 126 species of algae were found in the 

 qualitative collections, including 56 species of red algae, 33 browns, 

 and 37 greens. In both numbers and relative proportions, this flora is 

 similar to those reported since 1979. 



As c ophyllu m growth studies from the past growing season show the 

 same trends seen in previous years. Plants from a tagged population 

 70 m from the MNPS discharge grew longer than did plants at two 

 reference stations (2-5 km away). Differences in seasonal growth .ates 

 between experimental' and reference plants indicate that the thermal 

 addition from the power plant enhances growth in spring and autumn, but 

 not summer. 



All quantitative studies to date represent the local rocky 

 intertidal community as being in a state of dynamic equilibrium, with 

 processes that remove plants and animals (e.g. storms, senescence, 

 predation) balanced by settlement and growth of new individuals. 

 Differences in species occurrence and abundance among sites were 

 attributed primarily to variable degree of exposure to prevailing winds 

 and waves. Temporal variability was evidenced as seasonal changes in 

 abundance, particularly of barnacles and ephemeral algae. The 

 similarity of community parameters between this and past years indicates 

 that detrimental changes due to MNPS operation did not occur in 1983. 



BENTHIC INFAUNA 



The sediments and benthic infauna of three intertidal and four 

 subtidal sand stations were sampled in September and December 1982 and 

 March and June 1983. The temporal and spatial intertidal sedimentary 

 characteristics observed during 1983 were consistent with results 

 obtained in previous years. Sediments ranged from medium to coarse 

 sands and generally contained low amounts of silt/clay and organic 

 matter. Subtidal sediments were composed of fine to coarse sediments 

 that contained variable amounts of silt/clay and organic matter. During 



