PISCO: Subtidal: MLPA baseline: Central Coast: Community Surveys: Fish Surveys 2008

This metadata record documents the fish surveys for MLPA subtidal community surveys. Fish sampling consists of recording the number and size of all non-cryptic fishes on 'transects.' At each sampling location 'bottom,' 'mid-water,' and 'canopy' transects are surveyed. Dimensions for all transects are 2m x 2m x 30m. Subtidal community structure surveys are conducted annually at all sites during the summer or early fall, and quantify substrate type and relief, benthic cover, abundance of major groups of macroalgae and invertebrates, and abundance and size of fishes. Spatial allocation of sampling is designed to measure year-to-year site-wide variability in community structure and the spatial scales at which such variation occurs. A site is defined as a fixed stretch of coastline, occupying approximately 500m. In 2007, many new sites were added for monitoring MPAs established by the MLPA along the coast of central California, each comprised of 12 transects stratified across the four zones described below.

本元数据记录针对海洋生物保护法（Marine Life Protection Act，MLPA）潮下带群落调查的鱼类采样工作进行归档。鱼类采样工作通过在样带（transect）上记录所有非隐蔽性鱼类的数量与体长完成。在每个采样点位，需对底栖、中层水体及冠层三类样带开展调查。所有样带的规格统一为2米×2米×30米。潮下带群落结构调查于每年夏季或早秋在所有采样点开展，量化指标包括底质类型与地形起伏、底栖覆盖度、大型藻类及无脊椎动物主要类群的丰度，以及鱼类的丰度与体长。采样的空间布设方案旨在测算群落结构在点位范围内的年度变化幅度，以及此类变化发生的空间尺度。采样点位被定义为一段固定的海岸线段，长度约为500米。2007年，为监测MLPA在加利福尼亚州中部沿岸设立的海洋保护区（Marine Protected Areas, MPA），项目新增了多个采样点位，每个点位包含12条按下述四类生境分层布设的样带。