Early Detection of New Biological Invasions
Using as many pairs of volunteer eyes as possible, we attempt to discover "least wanted" invaders soon after they arrive, in the window of opportunity where control measures may be most effective.

Invertebrate Monitoring Program
Together with local classes and volunteer groups, we track mud-dwelling clams and worms in the lower Slough, and crab populations in the upper Slough.

Amphibian Monitoring Programs
With the help of student interns and volunteers, we track frog populations on the Reserve, focusing on threatened California red-legged frogs and attributes of the aquatic habitats in which they live.

Bird Monitoring Programs
Dedicated volunteers track a variety of bird populations on the Reserve - shorebirds and waterfowl, a rookery of nesting egrets, herons, and cormorants, a Caspian tern colony, breeding raptors, and small songbirds that use nestboxes.

Elasmobranch Monitoring
A team from the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation monitors sharks and rays at ESNERR. Check out their program and initial results on their website, and get an overview here.

Fish Monitoring
Currently, the ESNERR does not monitor fish populations in Elkhorn Slough. A report by J. Brown (graduate research fellow) summarizes past fish monitoring in the Slough by other researchers and makes recommendations for a low-cost monitoring program to be implemented by ESNERR in the future.

Flora Monitoring
Currently, the ESNERR does not carry out monitoring for aquatic plants and algae. A recent report by S. Palacios (graduate research fellow) summarizes past monitoring efforts and makes recommendations for future monitoring programs to be phased in by the ESNERR, with particular emphasis on eel grass and marsh plants. Click the links to download this report (160 KB .pdf file) and the associate table (32 KB .pdf file)