parameter - A parameter is a 

 measurable characteristic of a 

 population. The mean is an 

 example of a parameter. 



quadrat - A plot usually square 

 but occasionally rectangular or 

 circular, in which the organisms 

 are intensely examined and one or 

 several of which form the basis 

 for assessing the entire popu- 

 lation of the area. 



revetment - A facing of stone, con- 

 crete, etc. , built to protect a 

 scarp, embankment, or a shore 

 structure against erosion by 

 wave actions or currents . 



riprap - A layer, facing, or pro- 

 tective mound of stones randomly 

 placed to prevent erosion, scour, 

 or sloughing of a structure or 

 embankment. Also, the stone so 

 used. 



Simpson's Index - An index of the 

 proportions and numbers of 

 species and individuals in a 

 community used to measure the 

 diversity. 



species - A group of individuals 

 having common attributes and 

 designated by a common name. 



splash zone - The zone immediately 

 landward of the mean high water 

 level affected by the wave 

 spray. 



substrate - The base on which an 

 organism lives. 



subtidal - Below mean low water 

 (lower low on the Pacific coast 

 of the United States). 



succession - In ecology, an order- 

 ly process of community 

 development and changes with 

 time which result from inter- 

 actions between species and 

 environment. 



taxa - A taxanomic group or entity 

 such as genus or species in a 

 formal system of scientific 

 nomenclature. 



tetrapod - A massive concrete 

 shape for wave protection con- 

 sisting of a central body and 

 four equal -length limbs radiat- 

 ing out at equal angles from 

 the central body. The tetrapods 

 at Rincon Island weigh between 

 19.5 and 38.0 tons each. 



transect - A line [or belt) 



through a community along which 

 the important characteristics 

 of the individuals of the 

 species being studied are 

 observed and noted; sampling 

 along a transect may be plotless 

 or refer to specific plots 

 located along a line. 



turbidity - An optical condition of 

 water resulting from suspended 

 matter; water is turbid when its 

 load of suspended materials is 

 conspicuous . 



Wilcoxon "t" test - A nonpara- 



metric test used to statistically 

 determine whether the ranked 

 differences between measurements 

 came from the same or different 

 populations . 



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