SBC LTER: Reef: Long-term experiment: biomass of kelp forest species, ongoing since 2008

These data represent values of biomass density for more than 200
species of macroalgae, invertebrates and fish measured in fixed
plots at five reefs as part of a long-term experiment designed to
evaluate the effects of disturbance to giant kelp on the structure
and productivity of the benthic community. Taxon-specific
relationships between size and mass were applied to field
measurements of species abundance to estimate biomass density of
each species. The five reefs (Arroyo Quemado 34°28.048’N,
120°07.031’W; Carpinteria 34°23.474’N, 119°32.510’W; Isla Vista
34°23.275’N, 119°32.792’W; Mohawk 34°23.649’N, 119°43.762’W; and
Naples 34° 25.342’N, 119° 57.102’W) ranged in depth from 5.8 m to
8.9 m (MLLW) and were chosen to represent a range of physical and
biological characteristics known to influence subtidal macroalgal
assemblages in the region. A common (but not always persistent)
feature on these reefs was the presence of the giant kelp, which
forms a dense canopy at the sea surface that suppresses
recruitment and growth of understory algae below it. See Methods for more information.

本数据集包含200余种大型藻类、无脊椎动物及鱼类的生物量密度实测值，数据采集自5处岩礁的固定样地，系一项旨在评估巨藻（Giant Kelp）受扰后对底栖生物群落（benthic community）结构与生产力影响的长期实验的组成部分。研究通过将物种特异性的体型-体重关系应用于物种丰度的野外实测数据，估算得到各物种的生物量密度。
该5处岩礁分别为：Arroyo Quemado（北纬34°28.048′，西经120°07.031′）、Carpinteria（北纬34°23.474′，西经119°32.510′）、Isla Vista（北纬34°23.275′，西经119°32.792′）、Mohawk（北纬34°23.649′，西经119°43.762′）以及Naples（北纬34°25.342′，西经119°57.102′），其水深范围为5.8米至8.9米（MLLW，平均最低低潮面）；所选岩礁涵盖了已知会影响该区域潮下带大型藻类群落的各类物理与生物特征梯度。
这些岩礁普遍（但并非始终稳定存在）分布有巨藻，其可在海面形成致密冠层，抑制冠层下方底层藻类的附着与生长。详细信息请参见方法部分。