Researcher(s):
Daphne Hamilton
ENVS course(s): 400 Initiated: September 2013 Completed: May 2014 Go to project site
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This thesis uses COASST seabird beaching data for Washington's South Coast to analyze spatial patterns in seabird beachings across beaches in Southern Washington State, including bird carcass preservation, which body parts tend to remain on the bird the most, and species, as well as the data itself and the number of surveys that have been collected at each beach. The findings from the study indicate that wings may be the most likely to remain on the carcasses, which may be useful to the COASST program as they are updating their species identification guides. There is much variation from beach to beach in the number of surveys that have been collected and the number of years in which surveys have been taken, which may have an impact on the ability to make comparisons between beaches and can be related to the potential weaknesses of volunteer-based citizen science. Findings may help to improve the effectiveness of the research effort and citizen science as a whole.