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Catalina Island Info

Celp Camp

The 8th graders at PCDS (Phoenix Country Day School) took a class trip to Howlands Landing to study the marine life and ocean. Howland's landing is located on Catalina Island, California. We were at a camp called CELP, short for the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program. There, we observed ocean life and collected data that ranged from salinity and turbidity to depth and fish counts. This year of collection is the first year of data produced in order to learn the effects of El Nino in the Channel Islands.We are uncovering a new scientific world in the waters of the coast of Catalina.

Once we reached Catalina, all the 8th graders broke off into lab teams. We each chose a research question to answer and study while on our trip. The question my lab team and I investigated was, "Which species of fish live in the rocky bottom areas versus sandy bottoms?" Our goal was to learn what creatures live in which ocean habitats, and why. We also wanted to provide a good foundation for further studies on the question so that other groups can see how the data changes during an El Nino.

We collected data for our specific research question while kayaking and snorkeling. On kayaks we used a GPS to map out where there were sandy bottoms and where there were rocky reefs. We used this data in our map (above) to show where we were, and to show which part of the area is sand and which part is rock. While snorkeling, though, we were only observing where the fish were living and collecting data sets of Roving Diver Fish Counts. With the combination of mapping out rocky and sandy areas and observing marine life in their habitats, we had an answer as to what fish lived in the what type of environment.

Different types of life live in rocky and sandy areas of the ocean. The creatures that live in rocky reefs use the rocks as protection from predators and they feed off of immobile prey. The shelled animals also blend into the rocky environment. Examples of animals that live in rocky reefs are lobsters, volcano barnacles, and hermit crabs. The sandy areas also create a good evironment for other species of marine life. Sandy bottom creatures can easily hunt for prey. Some of the animals can also blend into the sand to hunt and hide. Examples of sand dwelling creatures are bat rays, leopard sharks and horn sharks.

Some difficulties we had while collecting data and making this project, were that we had to sift through all of our data to find the data that was relevant to our question. We also had to borrow data from other expeditions as well as other lab teams. Another uncertainty in our project was when we were performing fish counts some creatures' species was indistinguishable. However, we were capable of compiling all of our work into this informative website.

If we were to go to the same area in an El Nino year, the data we collected would have been much different. Coldwater fish could not function in the warm El Nino waters, and different warm water fish might be present. Also, sea urchins thrive in El Nino years and eat kelp. Kelp needs cold water to survive, and they begin to die out in the warm El Nino water. Since kelp is a home to many animals such as sea stars, kelp fish and snails, there would be less fish sightings. Also, kelp is the food of many creatures and there might not be enough to feed all the creatures that require food.