PISCO: Subtidal: Community Surveys: UPC Surveys

Benthic surveys are comprised of three components, all sampled along the same transects: (1) uniform point contact (UPC) estimates of benthic cover and substrate characteristics, (2) swath transects to estimate the density of kelps and macroinvertebrates and (3) quadrat sampling to estimate the density of recruits of selected invert species, small invertebrates, cyrptic fishes and recruit macroalgae. This metadata record documents the uniform point contact (UPC) surveys for PISCO subtidal benthic community surveys. UPC sampling consists of recording the substrate type, physical relief and percent cover of non-mobile invertebrates and algae along 30m long transects. Subtidal community structure surveys are conducted annually at all sites during the summer or early fall, and quantify substrate type and relief, benthic cover, abundance of major groups of macroalgae and invertebrates, and abundance and size of fishes. Spatial allocation of sampling is designed to measure year-to-year site-wide variability in community structure and the spatial scales at which such variation occurs. A site is defined as a fixed stretch of coastline, occupying approximately 500m. Originally, each site was divided into 2 halves (sides), each comprised of 12 transects startified across the four zones described above. Starting in 2007, many new sites were added for monitoring MPAs established by the MLPA along the coast of central California. These MLPA sites are equivalent of one "side" of the orignal PISCO sites (i.e. 12 transects)