SBC LTER: Reef: Long-term experiment: biomass of kelp forest species

These data represent values of biomass density for more than 200 species of macroalgae, invertebrates and fish measured in fixed plots at five reefs as part of a long-term experiment designed to evaluate the effects of disturbance to giant kelp on the structure and productivity of the benthic community. Taxon-specific relationships between size and mass were applied to field measurements of species abundance to estimate biomass density of each species. The five reefs (Arroyo Quemada 34°28.048’N, 120°07.031’W; Carpinteria 34°23.474’N, 119°32.510’W; Isla Vista 34°23.275’N, 119°32.792’W; Mohawk 34°23.649’N, 119°43.762’W; and Naples 34° 25.342’N, 119° 57.102’W) ranged in depth from 5.8 m to 8.9 m (MLLW) and were chosen to represent a range of physical and biological characteristics known to influence subtidal macroalgal assemblages in the region. A common (but not always persistent) feature on these reefs was the presence of the giant kelp, which forms a dense canopy at the sea surface that suppresses recruitment and growth of understory algae below it. See Methods for more information.