White Point | MARINe

Click here for Long-Term trends

Click here for Biodiversity Survey findings

White Point is located in the South Coast region of California, and is 0.2 miles southeast of the Palos Verdes Royal Palms Mussel Watch site. This gently sloping site consists of moderately uneven terrain, containing few cracks and folds.

White Point is dominated by a mixture of consolidated basalt bedrock, boulder fields, and cobble beach, and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated bedrock, boulder fields, and cobble beach. The primary coastal orientation of this site is southwest.

Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at White Point were established in 1994, primarily funded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The site was sampled by University of California Los Angeles through 2018, and is now monitored by California State University Fullerton and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Long-Term MARINe surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Mytilus (California Mussel), Endocladia (Turfweed), 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 2001, 2008, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2024. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses two sections that are approximately 6 meters (along shore) x 25 meters (seaward), and 21 meters (along shore) x 25 meters (seaward). Click here to view Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.

This site is also regularly surveyed by LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students) which is an environmental monitoring and education program for students, educators, and volunteer groups. You can access site specific data from this citizen scientist and educational broad scale trend monitoring program.

For more information about White Point, please contact Jennifer Burnaford (jburnaford@Fullerton.edu) and Jayson Smith (jaysonsmith@cpp.edu).