This dataset contains the whole blade reflectance and photosynthetic pigment concentrations from 1700 recently matured blades of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). The blades were collected at five sites along the California coast from 2012 to 2015.

This data file represents a time series of canopy area of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, and bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, and canopy biomass of giant kelp derived from Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), and Landsat 9 Operational Land Imager 2 satellite imagery, along with relevant metadata. The kelp canopy is composed of the portions of fronds and stipes floating on the surface of the water. Canopy area (m) data are given for individual 30 x 30 meter pixels for all coastal areas of Baja California, Mexico, California, Oregon, and the outer coast of Washington (including offshore islands). Biomass data (wet weight, kg) are given for individual 30 x 30 meter pixels in the coastal areas extending from near Ano Nuevo, CA through the southern range limit in Baja California (including offshore islands), representing the range where giant kelp is the dominant canopy forming species. Data were derived from the three Landsat sensors listed above. Observations are made on a 16 day repeat cycle, for each instrument, but the temporal coverage is irregular because of cloud cover, instrument failure, and the mission length of each sensor (TM: 1984 – 2011, ETM+: 1999 – present, OLI: 2013 – present). Estimates of canopy area are derived from the fractional cover of kelp canopy determined from satellite surface reflectance. Estimates of kelp canopy biomass are derived from the relationship between giant kelp fractional cover determined from satellite surface reflectance and empirical measurements of giant kelp canopy biomass in long-term SBC LTER study plots obtained using SCUBA. The different Landsat sensors were calibrated to each other using simulated Landsat data derived from hyperspectral imagery. Missing data due to the ETM+ scan line corrector error were filled using a synchrony-based gap filling method. Data are organized into a single NetCDF file and contain the quarterly area and biomass means for each Landsat pixel across the three sensors. Relevant metadata such as number of Landsat estimates from which the mean was derived, the number of estimates from each sensor, standard error for each quarterly estimate, spatial coordinates, and date are all included in the file. For assistance with the data, please contact [email protected].

This data package includes a summary list of data that were collected from the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises which took place from 2001 to 2006 in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA. There are total of 16 cruises and 3-4 times per year with approximately 7 days in length. Three data types are included in the summary sheet: 1. CTD and rosette profile bottle data; 2. Towed CTD scanning data; and 3. Meteorological, sea surface, and ADCP data. The data can be viewed and downloaded using the DOIs listed in the summary sheet. The detailed metadata is included in each of the data packages.

The data described here were collected on LTER03 which took place from 2002-02-18 to 2002-02-27 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. Towed CTD package Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects.

The data described here were collected on LTER02 which took place from 2001-09-07 to 2001-09-15 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. Towed CTD package Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects.

The data described here were collected on LTER01 which took place from 2001-03-20 to 2001-03-26 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. Towed CTD package Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects.

The data described here were collected on LTER05 which took place from 2002-09-03 to 2002-09-12 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. There are 4 basic types of measurements: Profiles at 25 grid stations unique to the SBCLTER and 7 cross-channel stations (also occupied by the Plumes and Blooms project). Measurements include primary production, basic CTD parameters (Seabird 911-plus), inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton pigments, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, natural abundances of N and C isotopes, and occasionally biogenic and lithogenic silica, optics, and/or dissolved organic carbon. Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects. Underway measurements: fluorometry, salinity and temperature are collected at a depth of 3m with a flow-through system which also includes continuous climate measurements. Underway acoustic dopler current profiles were collected using a RDInstruments Workhorse 300kHz ADCP.

The data described here were collected on LTER16 which took place from 2006-04-26 to 2006-05-03 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. There are 4 basic types of measurements: Profiles at 25 grid stations unique to the SBCLTER and 7 cross-channel stations (also occupied by the Plumes and Blooms project). Measurements include primary production, basic CTD parameters (Seabird 911-plus), inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton pigments, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, natural abundances of N and C isotopes, and occasionally biogenic and lithogenic silica, optics, and/or dissolved organic carbon. Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects. Underway measurements: fluorometry, salinity and temperature are collected at a depth of 3m with a flow-through system which also includes continuous climate measurements. Underway acoustic dopler current profiles were collected using a RDInstruments Workhorse 300kHz and RDInstruments Ocean Surveyor 75kHz ADCP. On Cruise LTER16, additional CTD samples were collected to document a red tide, the area off Naples Reef, and at Campus Point. On this cruise, additional stations and are identified as RED001-RED007, NAPLES001-010, and CAMPUSPOINT001, respectively

The data described here were collected on LTER15 which took place from 2006-02-02 to 2006-02-09 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. There are 4 basic types of measurements: Profiles at 25 grid stations unique to the SBCLTER and 7 cross-channel stations (also occupied by the Plumes and Blooms project). Measurements include primary production, basic CTD parameters (Seabird 911-plus), inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton pigments, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, natural abundances of N and C isotopes, and occasionally biogenic and lithogenic silica, optics, and/or dissolved organic carbon. Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects. Underway measurements: fluorometry, salinity and temperature are collected at a depth of 3m with a flow-through system which also includes continuous climate measurements. Underway acoustic dopler current profiles were collected using a RDInstruments Workhorse 300kHz and RDInstruments Ocean Surveyor 75kHz ADCP.

The data described here were collected on LTER14 which took place from 2005-10-07 to 2005-10-14 on the RV Pt. Sur. Cruises have been conducted in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, 3-4 times per year since March, 2001 and are approximately 7 days in length. There are 4 basic types of measurements: Profiles at 25 grid stations unique to the SBCLTER and 7 cross-channel stations (also occupied by the Plumes and Blooms project). Measurements include primary production, basic CTD parameters (Seabird 911-plus), inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton pigments, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, natural abundances of N and C isotopes, and occasionally biogenic and lithogenic silica, optics, and/or dissolved organic carbon. Two-dimensional sections of oceanic constituents are recorded in the top 120m with an undulating towed CTD scanning system (Scanfish) on both along shore and cross-channel transects. Underway measurements: fluorometry, salinity and temperature are collected at a depth of 3m with a flow-through system which also includes continuous climate measurements. Underway acoustic dopler current profiles were collected using a RDInstruments Workhorse 300kHz and RDInstruments Ocean Surveyor 75kHz ADCP. On Cruise LTER14, additional water and CTD samples were collected at the request of the Carson group for viral analysis, to document area off Mohawk Reef (also for the Carlson group) and sample the eddy near line "C". On this cruise, additional stations and are identified as CRAIG001-CRAIG002, CC01-CC010, E001-E005, respectively