Urchin and Abalone Density Responses in Caged Pycnopodia Field Experiment in the Sitka Sound Urchin Barrens during February 2023 (High latitude kelp dynamics project)

We conducted a field experiment in three replicate sea urchin barrens in Sitka Sound, AK (57°2'1"N 135°15'51"W) in February of 2023, where we deployed kelp blades at discrete distances on four meter radial cables from caged adult P. helianthoides and control cages for 24 hours. Via SCUBA we performed quadrat density surveys of three important kelp forest grazers (Haliotis kamtschatkana, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, and Mesocentrotus franciscanus) at discrete distances from the cage before, 15-30 min after, and 24 hours after P. helianthoides were added to the treatment cages.