Analyzing Biodiversity in Protected vs. Unprotected Tide Pools

This study assessed the efficacy of marine protected areas (MPAs) by comparing tide pool biodiversity in Half Moon Bay, California between a protected site (Fitzgerald Marine Reserve) and an unprotected site (Maverick’s Beach). Samples were collected through random quadrat surveys. ImageJ and RStudio were used to analyze data through three methods utilizing the Simpson’s Diversity Index along with three metrics. The unprotected Maverick’s Beach displayed greater biodiversity through two metrics while the third did not find significant difference in biodiversity between sites. 30 unique species were present at each site with 43 species between both. These mixed findings prevent us from drawing definitive conclusions on the effectiveness of Half Moon Bay’s tide pool MPAs but suggest the MPA is less biodiverse. Potential explanations include the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis, lack of sample size, or that the MPA is not effective in maintaining biodiversity.