Laudien, Jürgen; Villegas, Mario J; Sielfeld, Walter; Arntz, Wolf E (2018): Photographs of a foresting experiment in Chipana Bay [dataset]. Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.889035,

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In: Villegas, Mario J; Laudien, Jürgen; Sielfeld, Walter; Arntz, Wolf E (2018): Foresting experiment in Chipana Bay, Chile [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.889025

Macrocystis pyrifera kelp beds have a significant ecological role along the coast of Chile. The project aimed to test the dependence of reef fishes from Macrocystis pyrifera and to evaluate the effect of an enhanced habitat structure (experimental M. pyrifera bed) on the abundance, composition and spatial distribution of the reef fish community. Boulders colonized by M. pyrifera were transported into three replicated experimental sites (9 m2 each) located in a barren ground area. The present underwater photographs illustrate the buildup of the in situ experiment.

Laudien et al_foresting 1: Boulders colonized by M. pyrifera are transported in a mason tub, fixed 5 m underneath a fishing boat, note that individuals of the Cabinza grunt, Isacia conceptionis followed the M. pyrifera during the transfer.

Laudien et al_foresting 2: Mason tub, fixed 5 m underneath a fishing boat with boulders colonized by M. pyrifera.

Laudien et al_foresting 3: Scientific SCUBA divers carrying out a in situ transplant experiment with the giant kelp M. pyrifera.

Laudien et al_foresting 4: The Cabinza grunt, Isacia conceptionis following M. pyrifera plants during the transfer.

Laudien et al_foresting 5: Forested M. pyrifera kelp patch in a barren area.