Terrace Point

Click here for Long-Term trends

Click here for Biodiversity Survey findings

Terrace Point is located in the Central Coast region of California, within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This site is located within the Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve and Natural Bridges State Park. This site is near the Monterey Bay/Point Santa Cruz Mussel Watch site. This site is located directly below UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory, and there is an abundance of historical and ongoing research taking place at this site. This site receives low visitation by researchers and tidepoolers. This gently sloping site consists of moderately uneven terrain, containing few cracks and folds.

Terrace Point is dominated by consolidated mudstone, and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated mudstone and sandy beach. The primary coastal orientation of this site is south/southwest.

Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at Terrace Point were established in 1999 and are done by University of California Santa Cruz.  Long-Term MARINe surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Mytilus (California Mussel), Silvetia (Golden Rockweed), Mastocarpus (Turkish Washcloth), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). In addition, motile invertebrates, barnacle recruitment, mussel size structure, and water temperature are monitored at this site.  Click here to view Long-Term trends at this site.

Biodiversity Surveys were done in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2017, and 2021. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses one section that is approximately 30 meters (along shore) x 20 meters (seaward). Click here to view Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.

For more information about Terrace Point, please contact Pete Raimondi (raimondi@ucsc.edu).