More specif icaJ ]y, wc must determine if differences in the biota of 

 these sites exist that could be attributed to the operation of the power 

 station. 



To achieve these objectives, an environmental monitoring program 

 was designed to assess local rocky intcrtidal communities; the program 

 includes qualitative algal collections, determination of percentage of 

 substratum coverage by intertidal plants and animals, measurement of 

 recolonization rates and patterns following small-scale perturbation, 

 experimental exclusion of predators and grazers from selected areas, and 

 growth studies of a dominant shore alga, Asc ophyllum nodosum . In 

 addition to evaluating the biological impact of operation of Millstone 

 Units ] and 2, this monitoring program is providing base-line data prior 

 to three Unit operation. These data will be used to assess the additional 

 impact of Unit 3, once it becomes operational. 



MATERIAL AND METHODS 



Sampling Procedures 



Qualitative and quantitative sampling of the rocky intertidal 

 stations (Fig. 1) was continued throughout the 1983 reporting year 

 (October i982-September 1983). This report deals primarily with results 

 from this period, but information from previous studies is included to 

 provide the reader with a more complete account of these experiments. 



The physical character and other relevant features of the rocky 

 shore stations have been described in previous reports (Battelle 1977; 

 NUSCo 1983). The quantitative sampling sites were selected to represent 

 typical rocky shores in the Millstone Point area, and degree of exposure 

 to prevailing winds and waves is representative of the average 

 conditions at each station. For comparison, these stations are ranked 

 in order of decreasing relative exposure: Bay Point (BP) , Fox 

 Island-Exposed (FE) , Millstone Point (MP), Seaside Exposed (SE) , White 

 Point (WP) , Seaside Sheltered (SS) , Giants Neck (GN) , and Fox 

 Island-Sheltered (FS) . 



