Potential marine benthic habitat map of Elkhorn Slough, California

While marine benthic habitat maps have been created for approximately 34 percent of California's coastline, Elkhorn Slough currently does not have one. We have mapped for the first time Elkhorn's seafloor environments using a well-known classification system, which describes large-scale and small-scale features, bottom induration, vegetation, surface texture, and slope. This map was created in GIS using bathymetry data as well as data from sediment cores we collected. Sandy sediments were found in the Lower Slough, which is a high-energy environment, while mud or silt sediments dominated the rest of the Slough. Five classification categories were used to describe the Slough's seafloor: flat sandy sediments, sloped sandy sediments, flat muddy sediments, sloped muddy sediments, and eelgrass on flat sandy sediment. We used bathymetry data to interpret the Slough's sediment erosion and accretion over a period of 6 years. This preliminary map can be used to understand the location of various marine habitats, which is important for wildlife conservation and planning efforts in the Slough. Furthermore, this method of habitat mapping can be applied to other estuarine environments around the globe. The present work was initiated in 2015.