Comparison of the physical attributes of the central and eastern Gulf of Alaska integrated ecosystem research program inshore study sites

Abstract

In this analysis, five eastern Gulf of Alaska (eGOA) inshore study sites from the North Pacific Research Board's (NPRB) Gulf of Alaska Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (GOAIERP: http://www.nprb.org/gulf-of-alaska-project) were characterized using multiple Geographic Information System (GIS) physical measurements including water volume, surface area, and shoreline length. These eGOA sites include three small bays (Islas Bay, Torch Bay and Graves Harbor), a large semi-protected body of water (Salisbury Sound), and a large bay (Whale Bay). These measurements provide quantitative metrics of study sites that may aid in the interpretation of biological differences among the sites. The analysis is similar to a previously published study of five central Gulf of Alaska (cGOA) sites that also included three small bays, an unprotected body of water, and a large bay. In addition, this analysis included new measures of the surface area of lakes within each sites' watershed, and the amount of nearby shallow (< 200 m) continental shelf area. Multivariate analyses were used to examine similarities among the cGOA and eGOA sites and suggested that location and size were both important grouping factors, with the cGOA and eGOA small bays forming unique groups. The cGOA non-bay and large-bay sites were the most distinct locations. It appears that there is some link between geographic location and physical similarity of study sites chosen for the GOAIERP.