Data Package Metadata View Summary

Data for a meta-analysis of the effect of kelp forests on fish communities around the world from observational and experimental studies spanning 1983-2020

General Information

Data Package:

Local Identifier:

edi.1687.2

Title:

Data for a meta-analysis of the effect of kelp forests on fish communities around the world from observational and experimental studies spanning 1983-2020

Alternate Identifier:

DOI PLACE HOLDER

Abstract:

Data for Pérez-Matus, A., Micheli, F., Konar, B., Shears, N., Low, N., Okamoto, D., Wernberg, T., Krumhansl, K., Ling, S., Kinsgford, M., Navarrete-Fernandez, T., Ruz, C., and Byrnes, J. 2024. Kelp forests as nursery and foundational habitat for reef fish. Ecology. For the definitive analysis, see the paper. Code is at https://github.com/jebyrnes/fish_kelp_meta.

This data set concerns the effects of kelp on fish community composition. Data was mined as part of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) working group on "Global impacts of climate change on kelp forest ecosystems." It consists of digitized information from studies searched (see methods) examining fish community composition with and without kelp.

To summarize the study, conservation of marine biodiversity requires an understanding of the habitats needed to support and replenish species of interest. It also requires knowledge about the abundance and diversity of multi-species assemblages. Variation in the distribution and composition of kelp forests, one of the most productive marine coastal habitats globally, can have major influences on reef fishes – a group of ecologically and socio-economically important species. In the face of widespread and escalating loss of kelp forests, quantification of these effects is urgently needed to assess and project cascading impacts on biodiversity. Here, we evaluate relationships between kelp forests and associated reef fish populations using a global meta-analysis of experimental kelp removals and comparative surveys of kelp and adjacent non-kelp habitats. These analyses show that kelp forests increase the abundance of reef fishes, though the significance of this effect varied depending on the structural complexity of kelp forests. In experimental studies, kelp forests have a significant positive effect on fish species richness, revealing that kelp act as true foundation species by supporting the diversity of associated multi-species assemblages. Importantly, regardless of kelp forest morphology and type of study (observational or experimental studies), kelp forests enhance the recruitment of early life history stages suggesting they are nursery habitats for many reef fish taxa. Lastly, kelp forests differentially affected species with different functional traits; small body size fishes from low trophic levels (e.g., herbivore and detritivores, micropredators, and mesopredators) and large body size fish from higher trophic level (e.g., piscivores) were both facilitated by kelp forests. Taken together, these results indicate that the loss of kelp forest, particularly those with more complex morphology, can reduce total abundance and diversity of fish, with possible cascading consequences for coastal ecosystem function.

Publication Date:

2024-06-27

For more information:
Visit:	DOI PLACE HOLDER

Time Period

Begin:

1983

End:

2020

People and Organizations
Contact:	Byrnes, Jarrett Edward Kaplan (UMass Boston) [ email ]
Creator:	Pérez-Matus, Alejandro (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: Santiago, Santiago , CL, Associate Professor)
Creator:	Byrnes, Jarrett Edward Kaplan (University of Massachusetts Boston, Associate Professor)

Data Entities
Data Table Name:	Fishkelp_downloaded_from_googledocs_20230208
Description:	The raw data file generated by data recorders. Data was entered on google docs and downloaded using googlesheets4 before cleaning. Do not use for analysis, as masterFish_clean.csv is the cleaned data set.
Data Table Name:	masterFish_clean
Description:	The cleaned and merged data file used for analysis. Included are derived measures of effect sizes and geospatial information on marine ecoregion.
Data Table Name:	Fish-Kelp Kelp Taxon Information - Sheet1
Description:	Dataset describing the different assemblages of kelp included in the main data file.

Detailed Metadata

Data Entities

Data Table


Data:	https://pasta-s.lternet.edu/package/data/eml/edi/1687/2/30d5e5861e97380605a25dfb941fda45
Name:	Fishkelp_downloaded_from_googledocs_20230208
Description:	The raw data file generated by data recorders. Data was entered on google docs and downloaded using googlesheets4 before cleaning. Do not use for analysis, as masterFish_clean.csv is the cleaned data set.
Number of Records:	1391
Number of Columns:	57

Table Structure

Object Name:

Fishkelp_downloaded_from_googledocs_20230208.csv

Size:

860714 byte

Authentication:

44ddab283f489c2b0133e632182b78d4 Calculated By MD5

Text Format:

Number of Header Lines:

Record Delimiter:

\r\n

Orientation:

column

Simple Delimited:

Field Delimiter:	,
Quote Character:	"

Table Column Descriptions

...1

Authors (Year)

Site

Lat

Long

Management_(OA_MPA_MEARB_Other)

Temporal_Scale

Mean kelp

Mean no Kelp

Mean + one error bar Kelp

Mean + one error bar no Kelp

Error Kelp

Error no-Kelp

Error Type

Variable

N (Kelp)

N (no-kelp)

Unit Dimensions

Area (m2)

Notes on Type of study

Comments

Kelp Taxon

Clearing Size (m^2)

Time Until Resampling (days)

Mean Depth (m)

Inferred Mechanism of Clearing (experiment_storm_heat wave_barren_kelp addition)

Type of Study (Experimental_Observational)

Observational Study Type (Spatial, Temporal)

Single Species? (yes/no)

Total Abundance? (yes/no)

Species Richness? (yes/no)

Biomass? (yes/no)

Clearing Response (algae_barren_kelp)

Survey Type (quadrat, transect, video, photo, Net/Trap)

Short Variable Description

Latititude in Decimal Degrees

Longitude in Decimal Degrees

Juvenile, Adult, Both

sample unit area (m^2)

Total Area Sampled per Treatment (m^2: n*replicate area)

Mean kelp t0

Mean no Kelp t0

Mean + one error bar Kelp t0

Mean + one error bar no Kelp t0

Error Kelp t0

Error no-Kelp t0

Error Type t0

Date of t0 (dd/mm/yyyy)

Fish Species

Order

Family

Trophic level

Trophic group

Total Lenght (cm)

Biomass (gr)

Habitat Association (Benthic-Pelagic-Demersal)

Column Name:

...1

Authors (Year)

Site

Lat

Long

Management_(OA_MPA_MEARB_Other)

Temporal_Scale

Mean kelp

Mean no Kelp

Mean + one error bar Kelp

Mean + one error bar no Kelp

Error Kelp

Error no-Kelp

Error Type

Variable

N (Kelp)

N (no-kelp)

Unit Dimensions

Area (m2)

Notes on Type of study

Comments

Kelp Taxon

Clearing Size (m^2)

Time Until Resampling (days)

Mean Depth (m)

Inferred Mechanism of Clearing (experiment_storm_heat wave_barren_kelp addition)

Type of Study (Experimental_Observational)

Observational Study Type (Spatial, Temporal)

Single Species? (yes/no)

Total Abundance? (yes/no)

Species Richness? (yes/no)

Biomass? (yes/no)

Clearing Response (algae_barren_kelp)

Survey Type (quadrat, transect, video, photo, Net/Trap)

Short Variable Description

Latititude in Decimal Degrees

Longitude in Decimal Degrees

Juvenile, Adult, Both

sample unit area (m^2)

Total Area Sampled per Treatment (m^2: n*replicate area)

Mean kelp t0

Mean no Kelp t0

Mean + one error bar Kelp t0

Mean + one error bar no Kelp t0

Error Kelp t0

Error no-Kelp t0

Error Type t0

Date of t0 (dd/mm/yyyy)

Fish Species

Order

Family

Trophic level

Trophic group

Total Length (cm)

Biomass (gr)

Habitat Association (Benthic-Pelagic-Demersal)

Definition:

A blank column denoting row number.

The authorship of the paper and year in parenthesis of the paper. For example “Cole et al. (1990)”.

Number matching the study ID in the "Fish-Kelp Signup" sheet.

Name of site as specified in the paper.

Latitude of the site in arbitrary format.

Longitude of the site in arbitrary format.

Management regime if present. Either OA - Open Access MPA - Marine Protected Area MEARB - Management and exploitation area Other - Any other management type

The length of time of the study. Descriptive.

Mean Abundance of fish variable in a kelp patch mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer. Mean

Mean Abundance of fish variable in a patch without kelp mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer.

Mean Abundance plus one unit of error of fish variable in a kelp patch mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer.

Mean Abundance plus one unit of error of fish variable in a patch without kelp mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer

One unit of error for the mean kelp observation. I.e., the Mean + one error bar variable - mean.

One unit of error for the mean no kelp observation. I.e., the Mean + one error bar variable - mean.

The type of error measured. E.g., SD, SE, 2SE, 95% CI.

Description of what was measured

The sample size of the kelp observations.

The sample size of the no kelp observations.

The dimensions of one sample unit.

The area in square meters of one sample unit. Note, this was filled in imprecisely in several ways. Should not be used for calculations, but can be used for reference.

Short description of the study.

Additional comments describing data harvesting and issues with the data.

What kelp or kelps were manipulated or observed?

What was the size of clearings in the study in square meters.

How many days from the initiation of an experiment or disturbance event until when the observation was recorded.

Depth where the observation was taken in meters.

What mechanism can be inferred for creating a clearing.

Was the study from an experimental manipulation or an observational study.

If this was an observational study, were comparisons of plots made across space or over time?

Did this data point record information about a single species?

Did this data point record information about a total community abundance?

Did this data point record values of species richness?

Did this data point record information about a biomass?

How did the kelp removal site respond. Did it turn back into an algal bed, a barren of some type, or did kelp return.

What was used for the survey?

3-4 word description of the response variable measured.

Latitude of the site in decimal degrees.

Longitude of the site in decimal degrees.

Were the individuals sampled juvenile, adults, or a mixture of both juveniles and adults?

The size of one measurement unit in square meters (e.g., one quadrat, or one transect, or one two).

The total area sampled if you summed up the area of all of the replicate samples. Typically, this is n * the sample area.

Mean Abundance of fish variable in a kelp patch from before the removal event. This can be mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer.

Mean Abundance of fish variable in a no kelp patch from before the removal event. This can be mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer.

Mean Abundance plus one unit of error of fish variable in a kelp patch from before the removal event. This can be mined from a table or Web Plot Digitizer.

One unit of error for the mean kelp observation before the removal event. I.e., the Mean + one error bar variable - mean.

One unit of error for the mean no kelp observation before the removal event. I.e., the Mean + one error bar variable - mean

The type of error measured before the removal. E.g., SD, SE, 2SE, 95% CI.

Date that the removal was started in the format specified.

Latin Binomial of fish species name if single species.

Order of fish species.

Family of fish species

Trophic level as defined by http://fishbase.org.

Trophic group of fish as defined by http://fishbase.org.

Average length (cm) of fish species as defined by http://fishbase.org.

Average biomass (g) of fish species as defined by http://fishbase.org.

Is this a species that tends to be benthic, pelagic, or demersal. Defined by http://fishbase.org.

Storage Type:

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

float

string

Measurement Type:

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

ratio

nominal

Measurement Values Domain:

Unit	row number
Type	integer

Definition

text

Unit	Study ID number
Type	integer

Definition

text

Unit	degree
Type	real

Unit	degree
Type	real

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	BOTH
Definition	Multiple management regimes
Source

Code Definition

Code	MEABR
Definition	Management and exploitation area
Source

Code Definition

Code	MPA
Definition	Marine Protected Area
Source

Code Definition

Code	MR
Definition	Any other management type
Source

Code Definition

Code	na
Definition	No management type
Source

Code Definition

Code	Na
Definition	No management type
Source

Code Definition

Code	OA
Definition	Open Access MPA
Source

Definition

text

Unit	Abundance metric or number of species.
Type	real

Unit	Abundance metric or number of species.
Type	real

Unit	Abundance metric or number of species.
Type	real

Unit	Abundance metric or number of species.
Type	real

Unit	Varies. Described in Error Type.
Type	real

Unit	Varies. Described in Error Type.
Type	real

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	2SE
Definition	Two standard errors
Source

Code Definition

Code	SD
Definition	Standard Deviation
Source

Code Definition

Code	SE
Definition	Standard Error
Source

Definition

text

Unit	Number of replicates
Type	real

Unit	Number of replicates
Type	real

Definition

text

Definition

text

Definition

text

Definition

text

Definition

text

Unit	meterSquared
Type	real

Unit	days
Type	real

Definition

text

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	barren
Definition	Urchin barren creating kelp removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	Barren
Definition	Urchin barren creating kelp removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	Barren vs. Kelp
Definition	Urchin barren creating kelp removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	Clearing
Definition	Experimental kelp removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	Experiment
Definition	Experimental kelp removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	experiment
Definition	Experimental kelp removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	Experimental (subcanopy)
Definition	Experimental kelp removal of just the subcanopy
Source

Code Definition

Code	kelp addition
Definition	Experimental kelp addition
Source

Code Definition

Code	Kelp Addition
Definition	Experimental kelp addition
Source

Code Definition

Code	kelp Addition
Definition	Experimental kelp addition
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	Experimental with manipulation
Definition	Experiment
Source

Code Definition

Code	experimental
Definition	Experimental with manipulation
Source

Code Definition

Code	Observational
Definition	Observational study only with no manipulation
Source

Code Definition

Code	Experimental
Definition	Experimental with manipulation
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	Spatial
Definition	Comparisons made of plots across space at one time point. Cross-sectional design.
Source

Code Definition

Code	spatial
Definition	Comparisons made of plots across space at one time point. Cross-sectional design.
Source

Code Definition

Code	Temporal
Definition	Comparisons made of plots across multiple time points. Longitudinal design.
Source

Code Definition

Code	temporal
Definition	Comparisons made of plots across multiple time points. Longitudinal design.
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	no
Definition	Not a measure of single species abundance
Source

Code Definition

Code	yes
Definition	Single species
Source

Code Definition

Code	Yes
Definition	Single species
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	no
Definition	Did not record total community abundance
Source

Code Definition

Code	No
Definition	Did not record total community abundance
Source

Code Definition

Code	yes
Definition	Record of total community abundance
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	no
Definition	Not a record of species richness
Source

Code Definition

Code	No
Definition	Not a record of species richness
Source

Code Definition

Code	yes
Definition	A record of species richness
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	no
Definition	Not a record of total fish biomass
Source

Code Definition

Code	No
Definition	Not a record of total fish biomass
Source

Code Definition

Code	yes
Definition	A record of total fish biomass
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	barren
Definition	Site turned to a barren
Source

Code Definition

Code	Kelp
Definition	Site turned to a kelp bed
Source

Code Definition

Code	kelp
Definition	Site turned to a kelp bed
Source

Code Definition

Code	no
Definition	Not a removal
Source

Code Definition

Code	No
Definition	Not a removal
Source

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	Net
Definition	Sampling of fish by net
Source

Code Definition

Code	Point Count
Definition	Sampling of fish with point counts
Source

Code Definition

Code	Quadrat
Definition	Sampling of fish with standard sized quadrats
Source

Code Definition

Code	ROV
Definition	Sampling of fish with an ROV video
Source

Code Definition

Code	SMURF/light trap
Definition	Sampling of fish with a recruitment sampling device or light trap
Source

Code Definition

Code	transect
Definition	Sampling of fish on a transect line
Source

Code Definition

Code	Transect
Definition	Sampling of fish on a transect line
Source

Code Definition

Code	Transect and video
Definition	Sampling of fish on a transect line with video
Source

Code Definition

Code	transect, video
Definition	Sampling of fish on a transect line with video
Source

Code Definition

Code	Video
Definition	Video sampling of fish
Source

Definition

text

Unit	degree
Type	real

Unit	degree
Type	real

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	Adult
Definition	Individuals sampled were adults
Source

Code Definition

Code	Adults
Definition	Individuals sampled were Adults
Source

Code Definition

Code	Both
Definition	Individuals sampled were both
Source

Code Definition

Code	Juvenile
Definition	Individuals sampled were juveniles
Source

Unit	meterSquared
Type	real

Unit	meterSquared
Type	real

Definition

text

Definition

text

Unit	Abundance or richness
Type	real

Unit	Abundance or richness
Type	real

Unit	Abundance metric or number of species.
Type	real

Unit	Abundance metric or number of species.
Type	real

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	95%
Definition	95th Percent confidence interval
Source

Code Definition

Code	1 SE
Definition	One standard error
Source

Code Definition

Code	1SE
Definition	One standard error
Source

Code Definition

Code	na
Definition	No data
Source

Code Definition

Code	SD
Definition	One standard deviation
Source

Code Definition

Code	SE
Definition	One standard error
Source

Code Definition

Code	%
Definition	95th Percent confidence interval
Source

Definition

text

Definition

text

Definition

text

Definition

text

Unit	Trophic Level
Type	real

Allowed Values and Definitions

Enumerated Domain

Code Definition

Code	Carnivore
Definition	Eats other animals
Source

Code Definition

Code	Detritivore
Definition	Eats detritus
Source

Code Definition

Code	Herbivore
Definition	Eats algae
Source

Code Definition

Code	herbivore
Definition	Eats algae
Source

Code Definition

Code	Herbivore and invertivore
Definition	Eats algae and invertebrates
Source

Code Definition

Code	invertivore
Definition	Eats invertebrates
Source

Code Definition

Code	Invertivore
Definition	Eats invertebrates
Source

Code Definition

Code	na
Definition	Not a single fish species
Source

Code Definition

Code	Omnivore
Definition	Eats animals and algae
Source

Code Definition

Code	omnivore
Definition	Eats animals and algae
Source

Code Definition

Code	piscivore
Definition	Eats other fish
Source

Code Definition

Code	Piscivore
Definition	Eats other fish
Source

Code Definition

Code	Planktivore
Definition	Eats plankton
Source

Unit	centimeter
Type	real

Unit	gram
Type	real

Definition

text

Missing Value Code:

Code	NA
Expl	ID not in entry sheet

Code	NA
Expl	No management regime

Code	NA
Expl	Not provided.

Code	NA
Expl	Not present

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No comments

Code	NA
Expl	Not a clearing or no data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No information

Code	na
Expl	No measurement

Code	na
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	Not provided

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No measurement

Code	NA
Expl	No measurement

Code	NA
Expl	No measurement
Code	na
Expl	No measurement

Code	NA
Expl	No measurement
Code	na
Expl	No measurement

Code	NA
Expl	No measurement
Code	na
Expl	No measurement

Code	NA
Expl	No data
Code	na
Expl	No measurement

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	Not a single fish species

Code	NA
Expl	Not a single fish species

Code	NA
Expl	Not a single fish species

Code	NA
Expl	Not a single fish species
Code	na
Expl	Not a single fish species

Code	NA
Expl	Not a single fish species

Code	NA
Expl	No data
Code	na
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data
Code	na
Expl	No data

Code	NA
Expl	No data

Accuracy Report:

Accuracy Assessment:

Coverage:

Methods:

Data Table


Data:	https://pasta-s.lternet.edu/package/data/eml/edi/1687/2/a408941b4df6d6b77ea6681a92352332
Name:	masterFish_clean
Description:	The cleaned and merged data file used for analysis. Included are derived measures of effect sizes and geospatial information on marine ecoregion.
Number of Records:	1364
Number of Columns:	74

Table Structure

Object Name:

masterFish_clean.csv

Size:

1218198 byte

Authentication:

31828fb75d4cb27d508c5b8ca5fb10d4 Calculated By MD5

Text Format:

Number of Header Lines:

Record Delimiter:

\r\n

Orientation:

column

Simple Delimited:

Field Delimiter:	,
Quote Character:	"

Table Column Descriptions

Kelp.Taxon

Authors..Year.

Site

Lat

Long

Management_.OA_MPA_MEARB_Other.

Temporal_Scale

Mean.kelp

Mean.no.Kelp

Mean...one.error.bar.Kelp

Mean...one.error.bar.no.Kelp

Error.Kelp

Error.no.Kelp

Error.Type

Variable

N..Kelp.

N..no.kelp.

Unit.Dimensions

Area..m2.

Notes.on.Type.of.study

Comments

Clearing.Size..m.2.

Time.Until.Resampling..days.

Mean.Depth..m.

Inferred.Mechanism.of.Clearing..experiment_storm_heat.wave_barren_kelp.addition.

Type.of.Study..Experimental_ObservatioNAl.

Observational.Study.Type..Spatial..Temporal.

Single.Species...yes.no.

Total.Abundance...yes.no.

Species.Richness...yes.no.

Biomass...yes.no.

Clearing.Response..algae_barren_kelp.

Survey.Type..quadrat..transect..video..photo..Net.Trap.

Short.Variable.Description

Latititude.in.Decimal.Degrees

Longitude.in.Decimal.Degrees

Juvenile..Adult..Both

sample.unit.area..m.2.

Total.Area.Sampled.per.Treatment..m.2..n.replicate.area.

Mean.kelp.t0

Mean.no.Kelp.t0

Mean...one.error.bar.Kelp.t0

Mean...one.error.bar.no.Kelp.t0

Error.Kelp.t0

Error.no.Kelp.t0

Error.Type.t0

Date.of.t0..dd.mm.yyyy.

Fish.Species

Order

Family

Trophic.level

Trophic.group

Total.Lenght..cm.

Biomass..gr.

Habitat.Association..Benthic.Pelagic.Demersal.

sd_kelp

sd_nokelp

rawLR

VLR

Hedges.G

VHedges.G

Patch

Height..m.

Single.or.Multi.Stipe

Erect.or.Prostrate

Epibiont.Load.Potential

Comment

len

ECOREGION

PROVINCE

REALM