SBC LTER: Reef: Kelp Forest Community Dynamics: Abundance and size of Giant Kelp (Macrocystis Pyrifera), ongoing since 2000

These data describe the abundance of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, and are part of the SBCLTER kelp forest monitoring program. The study was initiated in 2000, in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, USA, and this dataset is updated once per year. The number and size (number of fronds and diameter of holdfasts) of plants were recorded along permanent transects at nine reef sites located along the mainland coast of the Santa Barbara Channel and at two sites on the north side Santa Cruz Island. These sites reflect several oceanographic regimes in the channel and vary in distance from sources of terrestrial runoff. 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.