Marine Life Observatory Photoquadrats - Reports and Data

The purpose of this time series is to document small-scale changes in the sessile benthic community within the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge. Data are gathered photographically from permanently-marked vertical or steeply-sloped rock surfaces. Horizontal surfaces were avoided in order to minimize the masking effect of large overlying algae that are more prevalent on horizontal substrates.

Permanent 0.5 m2 plots are photographed at least 3 times per year: in late winter (canopy-minimum, after winter storm disturbance but prior to onset of spring/summer larval recruitment), mid-summer (canopy maximum, peak growth & expansion of seasonal spp. such as tunicates) & late autumn (declining canopy cover, recession of seasonal spp). Thirty-two locations comprising 52 individual photoquadrats are divided among three sites within the kelp forest adjacent to the marine station.

This item contains reports and data on the MLO photoquadrats.