SBC LTER: Reef: Annual time series of biomass for kelp forest species, ongoing since 2000 (Reformatted to a Darwin Core Archive)

This data package is formatted as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A, event core). For more information on Darwin Core see https://www.tdwg.org/standards/dwc/. This Level 2 data package was derived from the Level 1 data package found here: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/metadata/eml/edi/281/3, which was derived from the Level 0 data package found here: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/metadata/eml/knb-lter-sbc/50/10. The abstract below was extracted from the Level 0 data package and is included for context: These data are annual estimates of biomass of approximately 225 taxa of reef algae, invertebrates and fish in permanent transects at 11 kelp forest sites in the Santa Barbara Channel (2-8 transects per site). Abundance is measured annually (as percent cover or density, by size) and converted to biomass (i.e., wet mass, dry mass, decalcified dry mass, ash free dry mass) using published taxon-specific algorithms. Data collection began in summer 2000 and continues annually in summer to provide information on community structure, population dynamics and species change. The time period of data collection varied among the 11 kelp forest sites. Sampling at BULL, CARP, and NAPL began in 2000, sampling at the other 6 mainland sites (AHND, AQUE, IVEE, GOLB, ABUR, MOHK) began in 2001 (transects 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 at IVEE were added in 2011). Data collection at the two Santa Cruz Island sites (SCTW and SCDI) began in 2004. See Methods for more information. See Methods for more information. The primary research objective of the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER is to investigate the importance of land and ocean processes in structuring giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera ) forest ecosystems. As in many temperate regions, the shallow rocky reefs in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, are dominated by giant kelp forests. Because of their close proximity to shore, kelp forests are influenced by physical and biological processes occurring on land as well as in the open ocean. SBC LTER research focuses on measuring and modeling the patterns, transport, and processing of material constituents (e.g., nutrients, carbon, sediment, organisms, and pollutants) from terrestrial watersheds and the coastal ocean to these reefs. Specifically, we are examining the effects of these material inputs on the primary production of kelp, and the population dynamics, community structure, and trophic interactions of kelp forest ecosystems.