between the upwelling and non-upwel 1 ing 

 seasons (Miller and Geibel 1973, Love and 

 Ebeling 1978, Roberts 1979). Pelagic 

 tunicates and crustaceans are important 

 prey in the upwelling season, whereas 

 algae, euphausids and larval fishes are 

 eaten in the non-upwelling season. 

 Hallacher (1977) also found algae in blue 

 rockfish stomachs. 



The most common fish in the kelp 

 forests of southern California is the 

 blacksmith (Figure 22). This damselfish 

 usually aggregates in the midwater on the 

 up-current edge of kelp forests during the 

 day. It feeds on larvaceans, copepods, 

 cladocerans, and various larvae. 

 Blacksmith retreat to shelter holes and 

 crevices at dusk and come out again at 

 dawn (Bray 1981). As a result of feeding 

 on plankton at the edge of kelp forests 

 during the day and defecating in the 

 shelter holes at night, blacksmith 

 transport extrinsic energy into the kelp 

 forest, and their feces provide a food 

 source for the benthic invertebrates (Bray 

 et al. 1981). 



Juvenile rockfishes are the most 

 abundant planktonic feeders during the 

 upwelling season in central California 

 (Burge and Schultz 1973). They recruit to 

 kelp forests initially around May, and 

 remain there until November or December 

 when winter storms begin. The seven 

 species studied by Singer (1982) were 

 divided into two groups: those which fed 

 primarily in the water column, and those 

 which fed on substrate-oriented prey. All 

 species were generally active and fed 

 during the day. These juvenile rockfishes 

 provide an important source of prey for 

 many adult kelp forest fishes, including 

 kelp bass (Young 1963), adult rockfishes 

 (Roberts 1979, Love and Westphal 1981), 

 and ling cod (Miller and Giebel 1973). 

 Many nearshore birds also feed on 

 young-of-the-year rockfish in kelp forests 

 (Follett and Ainley 1976, Hubbs et al. 

 1970, Ainley et al. 1981, Carr 1983). 



A number of small cryptic fishes 

 occupy the surface and midwater portions 

 of the water column, but only in the 

 presence of Macrocystis pyrifera . The 

 kelp gunnel ( Ulvicola sanctaerosae ) , kelp 

 clingfish ( Rimicola muscarum ) , giant 

 kelpfish (Heterostichus rostratus) and the 



manacled sculpin ( Synchirus gil 1 i ) all 



maintain close proximity to vertical 



fronds and the canopy of giant kelp, 



feeding on small, mobile prey. 



As pointed out in the introduction, 

 almost all fishes found in kelp forests 

 can be found in rocky habitats without 

 kelp. The relative importance of the 

 Macrocystis habitat, however, may be much 

 greater for the early life stages of some 

 fishes than for adult conspecifics. 

 During this early period of high 

 vulnerability to predation and pressing 

 metabolic requirements for growth, the 

 refuge made available by, and prey species 

 associated with, kelp structure may 

 enhance local survivorship of recently 

 recruited fishes. The abundance of young 

 rockfish (Leaman 1976, Burge and Schultz 

 1973, Miller and Giebel 1973, Carr 1983) 

 and kelp bass (Larson and DeMartini in 

 press) throughout the water column in kelp 

 seems to be strongly influenced by the 

 presence of M. pyrifera . 



4.5.3 Bottom Species 



Fishes that occur in the bottom zone 

 of kelp forests can also be classified as 

 browsers or predators on mobile prey. 

 Here again, there are differences with 

 respect to species composition between 

 central and southern California. Browser- 

 type fishes feeding on sessile 

 invertebrates include the garibaldi 

 ( Hypsypops rubicunda ) , the rock wrasse 

 ( Halichoeres semicinctus ) , and some of the 

 surfperches (Embiotocidae). 



The most visible fish in the bottom 

 zone is the bright orange ocean goldfish 

 or garibaldi (Figure 22). It ranges north 

 to Monterey Bay, but is rare north of 

 Point Conception (Miller and Lea 1972). 

 Garibaldi defend territories which include 

 a feeding area, a shelter hole, and for 

 some, a breeding site (Clarke 1970, 1971). 

 Territories are defended throughout the 

 year, and up to four years at the same 

 site. Some garibaldi are not territorial; 

 juveniles do not defend territories, and 

 females do not defend home ranges as 

 strictly as males. The nesting site 

 consists of a patch of filamentous algae 

 that is kept free of other organisms and 

 detritus by the male during the breeding 

 season. This tends to increase algal 



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