SBC LTER: Reef: Benthic community structure along a gradient of historic kelp variability

These data are estimates of biomass of approximately 225 taxa of
reef algae, invertebrates, and fish in transects at 11 non-core
sites in the Santa Barbara Channel in summer 2018 (3 transects per
site). Sites were selected along a gradient of historic kelp
( Macrocystis pyrifera ) variability, from
sites with highly persistent kelp to sites exhibiting extensive
variation in kelp biomass since 2008. See the site characteristics
data table for site locations and depths. The purpose of the
sampling was to explore to what extent the findings from the
long-term experiment (e.g. Castorani et al. 2018) apply to natural
gradients in kelp persistence. Surveys were conducted following
the same methodology used in the annual surveys of kelp forest
community structure, such that data from the non-core sites may be
paired with annual survey data collected in summer 2018.