• IMAS Metadata Catalogue
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Global Kelp Timeseries from NCEAS/KEEN Working Group

This global meta-analysis documents seasonal and interannual variability in the structure of reef-based kelp dominated communities. Temporal trends in kelp biomass, stipe density, percent cover, and rates of change of kelp density are measured across various ecoregions in global temperate zones.


Data is supplied in two formats:

(1) raw long table = taxon-level observations

(2) aggregated table = site/date-level time series, with taxa collapsed into a focalKelp metric

Simple

Identification info

Date (Creation)
2016-05-20

Principal investigator

Florida State University - Rassweiler, Andrew
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Principal investigator

Oregon State University - Novak, Mark
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Principal investigator

Simon Fraser University - Okamoto, Daniel
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Principal investigator

University of Massachusetts Boston - Byrnes, Jarrett
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Principal investigator

Simon Fraser University - Krumhansl, Kira
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Purpose
To conduct a global meta-analysis of temporal trends in kelp community structure.
Status
On going

Point of contact

University of Massachusetts Boston - Byrnes, Jarrett
Boston
MA
USA
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Point of contact

Simon Fraser University - Krumhansl, Kira
Burnaby
BC
Canada
ROR ID >

ORCID >

Topic category
  • Biota

Extent

N
S
E
W


Temporal extent

Time period
1952-01-01

Vertical element

Minimum value
3
Maximum value
50
Identifier
EPSG::5715
Name
MSL depth
Maintenance and update frequency
As needed

Resource format

Title
CSV
Date
Keywords (Project)
  • Kelp Ecosystem Ecology Network (KEEN)
Keywords (Theme)
  • kelp
  • timeseries
  • data synthesis
Keywords (Taxon)
  • Laminariales
  • Ecklonia maxima
  • Agarum clathrus
  • Pleurophycus gardneri
  • Nereocystis luetkeana
  • Macrocystis pyrifera
  • Laminaria yezoensis
  • Saccharina longicruris
  • Laminaria inclinatorhiza
  • Laminaria religiosa
  • Lessoniopsis littoralis
  • Agarum fimbriatum
  • Dictyoneurum californicum
  • Ecklonia arborea
  • Laminaria farlowii
  • Egregia menziesii
  • Laminaria setchellii
  • Pterygophora californica
  • Saccharina groenlandica
  • Laminaria pallida
  • Alaria marginata
  • Costaria costata
  • Laminaria bongardiana
  • Lessonia variegata
  • Laminaria digitata
  • Laminaria hyperborea
  • Laminaria ochroleuca
  • Alaria esculenta
  • Saccharina latissima
  • Laminaria solidungula
  • Ecklonia radiata
  • Lessonia corrugata
  • Undaria pinnatifida
  • Lessonia trabeculata
  • Agarum clathratum
  • Cymathaere triplicata
  • Eualaria fistulosa
  • Laminaria longipes
NASA/GCMD Keywords, Version 8.5
  • MARINE HABITAT
  • BENTHIC HABITAT
  • COASTAL HABITAT
  • DEMERSAL HABITAT
  • MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS)
  • BROWN ALGAE
AODN Platform Vocabulary
  • diver
AODN Discovery Parameter Vocabulary
  • Abundance of biota

Resource constraints

Classification
Unclassified

Resource constraints

Linkage
http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png

License Graphic

Title
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License


>

Website
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

License Text

Other constraints
Cite data as: Rassweiler, A., Novak, M., Okamoto, D., Byrnes, J., Krumhansl, K. (2016). Global Kelp Timeseries from NCEAS/KEEN Working Group. Florida State University, Oregon State University, Simon Fraser University, University of Massachusetts Boston. Data accessed at https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/ecbe5cc3-3fbf-4569-b5e8-07c2201fcb9c on [access date].
Other constraints
If you have kelp timeseries greater than 3 years in length, please consider contributing to the data set. Contact Jarrett Byrnes for details.
Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8

Content Information

Content type
Physical measurement
Description
Integer identifying study
Name
Study ID

Name
study_ID

Name
Integer
Description
Short name for study
Name
Study

Name
Study

Name
String
Description
Within-study name for a single site
Name
Site

Name
Site

Name
String
Description
Latitude in decimal degrees
Name
Latitude

Name
Latitude

Name
Decimal Degrees
Description
Longitude in decimal degrees
Name
Longitude

Name
Longitude

Name
Decimal Degrees
Description
Maximum depth (m) reported for a site during a single sample event.
Name
Maximum Depth

Name
max_Depth

Name
Meters
Description
Average depth (m) reported for a site during a single sample event.
Name
Mean Depth

Name
mean_Depth

Name
Meters
Description
Minimum depth (m) reported for a site during a single sample event.
Name
Minimum Depth

Name
min_Depth

Name
Meters
Description
Integer identifying a unique time-series. A unique timeseries follows a single site within a single study using a single method of measuring kelp over time.
Name
Trajectory ID

Name
trajectory_ID

Name
Integer
Description
The number of replicates that went into calculating a site-level average kelp abundance.
Name
Sample Size

Name
sample_size

Name
Number of Replicates
Description
The size of an individual unit used to sample kelp (m).
Name
Sample Unit Size

Name
sample_unit_size_sq_m

Name
Meters
Description
The year a sample was taken.
Name
Year

Name
year

Name
Year
Description
Integer denoting the order of samples within a trajectory.
Name
Period

Name
period

Name
Integer
Description
Days since January 1, 1960 on the date of sampling.
Name
Raw Date

Name
rawDate

Name
Days
Description
Date in yyyy-mm-dd format
Name
Date from SAS

Name
sasDate

Name
Date
Description
Average biomass of kelp in kg of wet weight per square meter.
Name
Wet Kelp Biomass

Name
biomass_KG_wet_per_sq_m

Name
Kilograms per square meter
Description
Average density of kelp stipes per square meter.
Name
Kelp Stipe Density

Name
Stipe_Density_num_per_sq_m

Name
Number per Square Meter
Description
Average number of individual kelps per square meter.
Name
Kelp Individual Density

Name
individual_per_sq_m

Name
Number per Square meter
Description
Average percent cover of kelp.
Name
Percent Cover

Name
percent_cover

Identifier
http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UPCT
Name
Percent
Description
Standard deviation of biomass of kelp in kg of wet weight per square meter.
Name
Standard Deviation of Wet Kelp Biomass

Name
biomass_KG_wet_per_sq_m_STD

Name
Kilograms per Square Meter
Description
Standard deviation of density of kelp stipes per square meter.
Name
Standard Deviation of Kelp Stipe Density

Name
Stipe_Density_num_per_sq_m_STD

Identifier
http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UPMS
Name
Number per square metre
Description
Standard deviation of number of individual kelps per square meter.
Name
Standard Deviation of Kelp Individual Density

Name
individual_per_sq_m_STD

Identifier
http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UPMS
Name
Number per square metre
Description
Standard deviation in percent cover of kelp.
Name
Standard Deviation of Percent Cover

Name
percent_cover_STD

Identifier
http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/P06/current/UPCT
Name
Percent
Description
Average abundance of kelp using preferred focal unit.
Name
Focal Kelp Measurement

Name
focalKelp

Name
varies
Description
Standard deviation of kelp using preferred focal unit.
Name
Standard Deviation in Focal Kelp Measurement

Name
focalKelp_STD

Name
varies
Description
Preferred focal unity type of the four assessed. When multiple measurement types were equivalent, we selected one in order of the following preference: biomass, stipe density, individual density, percent cover - this corresponds to getting as close as possible to kelp biomass. The numbers corresponding to different measurement types are 1) percent cover, 2) kelp individuals per sq. m, 3) kelp stipes per sq m, 4) kg wet mass per sq m.
Name
Type of Focal Kelp Measurement

Name
focalUnit

Name
Integer
Description
Ecoregion of site taken from Spalding et al.’s 2008 Marine Ecoregions of the World.
Name
Ecoregion

Name
ECOREGION

Name
String
Description
Province of site taken from Spalding et al.’s 2008 Marine Ecoregions of the World.
Name
Province

Name
PROVINCE

Name
String
Description
Realm of site taken from Spalding et al.’s 2008 Marine Ecoregions of the World.
Name
Realm

Name
REALM

Name
String

Identifier

Code
Abundance of biota

Distribution Information

Distribution format
  • CSV

OnLine resource
DATA ACCESS: Global kelp timeseries - raw observations [CSV direct download]

OnLine resource
DATA ACCESS: Global kelp timeseries - aggregated by site x time [CSV direct download]

OnLine resource
TRB_KEEN_kelp_timeseries_aggregated

MAP - Global kelp timeseries - aggregated

OnLine resource
TRB_KEEN_kelp_timeseries_raw

This OCG WFS service returns the data for download in multiple formats.

OnLine resource
TRB_KEEN_kelp_timeseries_aggregated

This OCG WFS service returns the data for download in multiple formats.

OnLine resource
Kelp Ecosystem Ecology Network (KEEN) website

Resource lineage

Statement
Surveys of kelp biomass, stipe density, percent cover, and rates of change of kelp density were measured across various ecoregions in studies monitoring short (intra-annual) to long-term (interannual) variability in community structure. Studies currently in the collection span the temporal range 1952 to 2014. Sampling was conducted across 38 different ecoregions spanning 17 provinces and 6 realms (classified according to Spalding et al.’s 2008 Marine Ecoregions of the World).
Hierarchy level
Dataset
Hierarchy level
Dataset

Platform

Identifier

Code
diver

Metadata

Metadata identifier
urn:uuid/ecbe5cc3-3fbf-4569-b5e8-07c2201fcb9c

Language
English
Character encoding
UTF8

Point of contact

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studie - IMAS Data Manager

Type of resource

Resource scope
Dataset
Metadata linkage
https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/ecbe5cc3-3fbf-4569-b5e8-07c2201fcb9c

Point of truth URL of this metadata record

Date info (Creation)
2019-08-13T14:09:58
Date info (Revision)
2026-06-02T12:54:24

Metadata standard

Title
ISO 19115-3:2018
 
 

Overviews

Kelp Ecosystem Ecology Network logo

Spatial extent

N
S
E
W


Keywords

data synthesis kelp timeseries
AODN Discovery Parameter Vocabulary
Abundance of biota
AODN Platform Vocabulary
diver
NASA/GCMD Keywords, Version 8.5
BENTHIC HABITAT BROWN ALGAE COASTAL HABITAT DEMERSAL HABITAT MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) MARINE HABITAT

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Read here the full details and access to the data.

Associated resources

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