SBC LTER: Reef: Long-term experiment: Kelp removal: Cover of bottom substrate and sand depth

These data describe the percent cover of eight bottom substrate types as determined by a uniform point contact method. The type of bottom substrate is recorded at 80 uniformly spaced points along permanent 40m x 2m transects. Percent cover of each substrate type on transect is estimated as the proportion of the 80 points contacted by the substrate type x 100. The kelp removal experiment was initiated in 2008 at selected reef sites along the mainland coast of the Santa Barbara Channel. The following three giant kelp manipulations are maintained in sampling plots at each site: - Control: Macrocystis pyriferais left intact during the experiment. - Annual removal: Macrocystis pyriferais removed from an adjacent plot once each winter and allowed to re-colonize over the course of the year. - Continuous removal: Macrocystis pyriferais removed from the plot on each sampling date. The two tables in this data package include: 1) The percent cover of eight bottom substrate types; and 2) the sand depth of each sampling point (sand depth = 0 if substrate type ≠sand)