Evaluate overlap between agency jurisdiction and species ranges and consider any biogeographic boundaries that occur within the project area.
Species distributions are rarely, if ever, aligned with jurisdictional boundaries. Shifts in the composition of species along a latitudinal gradient are called biogeographic breaks. These breaks are relevant to managers because different species are located on either side of the break and may be differentially vulnerable to impacts and be present in different abundances.
Our aim in this paper is to present the first broad-scale quantification of species abundance for rocky intertidal communities along the Pacific coast of North America. Here we examine the community-level marine biogeographical patterns in the context of formerly described biogeographical regions, and we evaluate the combined effects of geographical distance and environmental conditions on patterns of species similarity across this region. Location Pacific coast of North America.