Alegria | MARINe

Click here for Long-Term trends

Click here for Biodiversity Survey findings

Alegria is located in the South Coast region of California, within Hollister Ranch, which requires special access approval to visit and sample. Alegria is very sand influenced and portions of the site may be inundated with sand. This gently sloping site consists of moderately uneven terrain, containing few cracks and folds.

Alegria is dominated by a mixture of consolidated sandstone and mudstone bedrock, boulder fields, and sandy beach, and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated bedrock, boulder fields, and sandy beach. The primary coastal orientation of this site is south.

Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at Alegria were established in 1992. This site was sampled by the University of California Los Angeles through 2018 and is now monitored by the University of California Santa Barbara. Long-Term MARINe surveys currently target the following species and/or areas: Anthopleura (Anemones), Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Pollicipes (Goose Barnacle), Mytilus (California Mussel), Rock (Above Barnacles), Phyllospadix (Surfgrass), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). In addition, motile invertebrates, barnacle recruitment, and mussel size structure are monitored at this site. Click here to view Long-Term trends at this site.

Biodiversity Surveys were done in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2016, and 2021. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses one section that is approximately 30 meters (along shore) x 33 meters (seaward). Click here to view Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.

Alegria was sampled in 2015 as part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). Biodiversity Linked Vertical Photoplot (BLVP) and motile invertebrate surveys were done as part of the NRDA.

For more information about Alegria, please contact Jenn Caselle (caselle@ucsb.edu).