Dataset: Dissolved oxygen and temperature from PME miniDOT sensors recording at 1-minute intervals at various depths on instrument moorings inside and outside of kelp forests near the Monterey Peninsula, California, USA from June to August 2018 and 2019

Sampling Locations:
Sampling was conducted near the Monterey Peninsula near Pacific Grove and Monterey, California, USA. Kelp sites ranged from 8.8 to 10.3 meters deep and offshore sites ranged from 13.1 to 16.5 m deep.

Instrument moorings were deployed in 2018 in the following areas: a wave-protected kelp forest, ~100 meters offshore of the protected site, in a wave-exposed site devoid of kelp (historically has had kelp), and ~100 meters offshore of the exposed site.

Instrument moorings were deployed in 2019 in the following areas: a wave-protected kelp forest, ~175 meters offshore of the protected site, in a wave-exposed kelp site, and ~180 meters offshore of the exposed site.

Location Abbreviations:
PK = Protected kelp 2018,
PO = Protected offshore 2018,
EK = Exposed ‘kelp’ 2018,
EO = Exposed offshore 2018,
MK = Protected kelp 2019,
MO = Protected offshore 2019,
OK = exposed kelp 2019,
OO = Exposed offshore 2019.

Methodology:
In 2018, instruments were deployed at PK at 1, 3, and 5 meters above the bottom; at PO at 1, 7, and 14 meters above the bottom; at EK at 1, 5, 7 meters above the bottom; and at EO at 1, 7, and 12 meters above the bottom. In 2019, instruments were deployed at MK at 1, 4, and 7.5 meters above the bottom; at MO at 1, 7, and 14.5 meters above the bottom; at OK at 1, 4, and 9 meters above the bottom; and at OO at 1, 9, and 13.4 meters above the bottom. In 2019 instruments were also deployed at the surface at all sites.

Anti-fouling plates were installed on all instruments near the sensor. Any time diving occurred near the instrument moorings, any air bubbles that collected on the sensor were brushed away.

PME MiniDOT instruments were calibrated before and after deployment to determine and correct for any drift in instruments readings. This was done by placing all instruments in a black bucket with a lid and an air stone and left to measure dissolved oxygen for 12 to 24 hours.