MARINe/PISCO: Intertidal: MARINe Long-Term Monitoring Surveys: Photo Plots and Transects Summarized

This metadata record documents the Photo Plot and Transect Survey data for the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) Long-Term Monitoring surveys. Long-Term Monitoring Surveys use fixed plots to document changes in percent cover, or abundance of targeted species or species assemblages. This fixed-plot approach allows the dynamics of rocky intertidal species to be monitored with reasonable sampling effort and provides sufficient statistical power to detect changes over space or time. Photo Plots are used to monitor percent cover of organisms within target species assemblages. Plots are established for a given species assemblage if overall cover at a site is sufficient for monitoring. In general, 5 replicate plots (50 x 75 cm) are placed in a stratified random manner throughout the target species' zone of maximum abundance. Plots are photographed in the field, and are scored for percent cover using a grid of 100 points, either in the field or in the lab from photos. Transects are used to monitor percent cover of surfgrass, kelps, and other algae. In general, 3 replicate transects are established for each target species. Transects are generally 10 m long and percent cover is estimated by recording the taxa or substrate occurring under each 10 cm interval (for a total of 100 points). These surveys are done throughout the year at sites ranging from Southeast Alaska to Southern California. Please note that species of concern have been removed from all public datasets, as well as data from sites funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and the United States Navy. For a comprehensive dataset, please contact the data set owner(s). For more information about the data described in this metadata record, please visit pacificrockyintertidal.org. The long-term California MPA boundary and project info tables referenced in this dataset can be found as a separate dataset here: https://opc.dataone.org/view/doi:10.25494/P6V884