LARSON and DeMARTINI: DISTRIBUTION OF FISHES IN KELP FOREST 



Table 9.— Percent contribution of species to total numerical and biomass density at the SOK-U area of the San Onofre kelp bed during fall 

 1979. Percentages are given by stratum and for abundance integrated throughout the water column. Only those species contributing 1% or 

 more are listed. Stratum values are based on data in Tables 6 and 7; integrated abundances on Table 1 1. 



Table 10. — Percent contribution of species to total numerical and biomass density at the SOK-D area of the San Onofre kelp bed during fall 

 1979. Percentages are given by stratum and for abundance integrated throughout the water column. Only those species contributing 1% or 

 more are listed. Stratum values are based on data in Tables 6 and 7; integrated abundances on Table 1 1. 



dant. The gradual change in species composition that 

 occurred between the water-column strata became 

 more abrupt at the bottom. 



The vertical profile of total numerical density 

 reflected changes in the abundance of the most 

 numerous species, senorita, and the increase in 

 species number on the bottom. Numerical density 

 was about the same at 3 and 7.6 m, dropped at 12 m, 

 and peaked on the bottom (Fig. 4). Small differences 

 in species composition at 3 and 7.6 m led to only small 

 differences in the abundances of noncosmopolites, 

 and the cosmopolites (particularly senorita) had 

 similar densities in these strata (Tables 6, 7). Despite 



increased abundances of bottom species at 12 m, the 

 loss of upper water-column species and the decline in 

 abundance of senorita led to low overall numerical 

 densities in this stratum (Tables 6, 7). Senorita 

 became more abundant again in the bottom stratum, 

 kelp bass reached peak density, and the bottom 

 species became abundant (Tables 6, 7), leading to 

 high numerical densities on the bottom (Fig. 4). 



Biomass density did not differ among the water- 

 column strata, but reached an exaggerated peak on 

 the bottom (Fig. 5). At 12 m, the increase in size of 

 kelp bass, and the addition of large-bodied species 

 like California sheephead, barred sand bass, and 



47 



