Habitat Characteristics of Black-handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) at La Suerte Biological Field Station, Costa Rica
Metadata also available as
Metadata:
- Contact_Information:
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- Contact_Address:
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- Address: MANDATORY IF APPLICABLE for Data Store
- Identification_Information:
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- Citation:
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- Citation_Information:
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- Originator: Kristin Abt
- Publication_Date: Unknown
- Title:
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Habitat Characteristics of Black-handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) at La Suerte Biological Field Station, Costa Rica
- Online_Linkage: Default value.
- Description:
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- Abstract:
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Research was conducted at La Suerte Biological Field Station (<http://www.lasuerte.org/>), Costa Rica in May/June, 2008 in order to characterize the habitat of unhabituated spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) and to compare their use of space in comparison to neutral points in a fragmented patch of the rainforest. Height to first branch using a laser range finder, circumference at breast height (CBH), and fruiting status (mature fruit or dormant reproductive) of each tree at first observation of the spider monkey(s) was collected. Additionally, t-square plotless quadrats were performed in each area of observation to obtain the distance to each tree and its nearest neighbor, CBH, canopy cover, and number of saplings and compared to t square plotless quadrats performed at neutral points. A tree was counted in the quadrat if it met the requirement of at least 30 cm CBH. A sapling was counted if it had a woody stem and fell within a body width line transect between the first tree in each quadrat and its nearest neighbor. Canopy cover was estimated as a percent at approximately the middle point between the two trees using a sighting mirror. These data are part of a tropical fieldschool offered at La Suerte, Costa Rica; they are compiled in an Excel sheet and available from the author by request. These data are currently considered for a forthcoming publication.
- Purpose:
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This study evaluates habitat characteristics of the individuals in order to contribute to knowledge about the ecological requirements to support this species in a particular area. Numerous studies have attempted to characterize the behavior and ecology of spider monkeys in the rainforest canopy (Fedigan et al., 1988, Fedigan & Baxter, 1984, Chapman, 1990), and all discuss the issue of detectability and difficulty of following rapidly moving primates in tall trees. Ateles geoffroyi at La Suerte Biological Field Station are not known to be habituated to human observers. They have the capacity to travel to areas across a river and into privately owned forest not encompassed by the property, which adds to the difficulty of systematically studying the individuals at this location. La Suerte Biological Field Station supports 2 other species of primates: Alouatta palliata and Cebus capucinus, both of which have been studied extensively by researchers and students participating in field courses. Pruetz & Leasor (2002) included spider monkeys in their estimates of primate density at this site and found a minimum number of 10 individuals who were predicted to suffer a loss of numbers in the coming years. The threat of disturbance and logging to the surrounding areas places further pressure on their survival in this area. Spider monkeys require mature forest with minimal forest disruptance (Southwick & Blood, 1979). Efforts to reforest and conserve must go hand in hand with studies on this population.
- Supplemental_Information:
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This study and its data are part of a course project by the author titled: "Habitat Characteristicsof Black-handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) at La Suerte Biological Field Station, Costa Rica" For details contact author, or see <http://www.lasuerte.org/>. References on the topic of this study can for instance be found in: Chapman, C.A. (1990). Ecological constraints on group size in three species of neotropical primates. Folia Primatologica, 55, 1-9. Fedigan, L.M. & Baxter, M.J. (1984). Sex differences and social organization in free-ranging spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Primates, 25(3), 279-294. Fedigan, L.M., Fedigan, L., Chapman, C., & Glander, K.E. Spider monkey home ranges: A comparison of radio telemetry and direct observation. American Journal of Primatology, 16, 19-29. Pruetz, J.D. & Leasor, H.C. (2002). Survey of three primate species in forest fragements at La Suerte Biological Field Station, Costa Rica. Neotropical Primates, 10(1), 4-9. Southwick, C.H. & Blood, B.D. (1979). Conservation and management of wild primate populations. BioScience, 29(4), 233-237.
- Time_Period_of_Content:
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- Time_Period_Information:
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- Range_of_Dates/Times:
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- Beginning_Date: 20080524
- Ending_Date: 20080619
- Currentness_Reference: observed
- Status:
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- Progress: Complete
- Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
- Spatial_Domain:
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- Description_of_Geographic_Extent:
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La Suerte Station, Large Forest adjacent to fieldstation, Costa Rica
- Bounding_Coordinates:
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- West_Bounding_Coordinate: 83.77000
- East_Bounding_Coordinate: 0
- North_Bounding_Coordinate: 10.43000
- South_Bounding_Coordinate: 0
- Keywords:
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- Theme:
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- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Theme_Keyword:
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Ateles, Ateles geoffroyi, Central American Spider Monkey, Black-handed Spider Monkey, Costa Rica, La Suerte, Habitat Characteristics, t square plotless quadrats, canopy cover, CBH, primates, monkeys, spider monkey
- Theme:
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- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Park Service Theme Category Thesaurus
- Theme:
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- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
- Place:
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- Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Place_Keyword:
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Costa Rica, La Suerte, Biological, Field Station, Central America, habitat, rainforest, environment, lowland rainforest
- Place:
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- Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Park System Unit Name Thesaurus
- Place:
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- Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Park System Unit Code Thesaurus
- Taxonomy:
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- Keywords/Taxon:
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- Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Taxonomic_Keywords: single species
- Taxonomic_Keywords: Spider Monkey
- Taxonomic_Keywords: Primates
- Taxonomic_System:
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- Classification_System/Authority:
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- Classification_System_Citation:
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- Citation_Information:
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- Originator: Unknown
- Publication_Date: Unknown
- Classification_System_Modifications: ITIS
- Identification_Reference:
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- Citation_Information:
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- Originator: ITIS
- Publication_Date: Unknown
- Identifier:
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- Contact_Information:
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- Contact_Person_Primary:
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- Contact_Person: Kristin Abt
- Contact_Address:
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- Address_Type: mailing and physical
- Address: Alternative:
- Address: 419 Irving I
- City: Fairbanks
- State_or_Province: Alaska
- Postal_Code: 99775
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: 907 474 7882
- Contact_TDD/TTY_Telephone: +1 907 474 7882
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: fffh@uaf.edu
- Taxonomic_Procedures: identified in the field; often by many observers parallel
- Taxonomic_Completeness: complete
- Vouchers:
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- Specimen: individuals, photos
- Vouchers:
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- Specimen: individuals
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Animalia
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Phylum
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Chordata
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Subphylum
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Vertebrata
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Class
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Mammalia
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Subclass
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Theria
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Infraclass
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Eutheria
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Order
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Primates
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Cebidae
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Subfamily
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Atelinae
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Ateles
- Taxonomic_Classification:
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- Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
- Taxon_Rank_Value: Ateles geoffroyi
- Applicable_Common_Name: Central American spider monkey
- Applicable_Common_Name: Mono-araña centroamericano
- Access_Constraints: None; suggest to contact author for best use of the data.
- Use_Constraints: None; suggest to contact author for best use of the data.
- Point_of_Contact:
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- Contact_Information:
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- Contact_Person_Primary:
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- Contact_Person: Kristin Abt (supervised by Anna Nekarnis and Vincent Nijman)
- Contact_Organization: Alternative: Falk Huettmann
- Contact_Address:
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- Address_Type: mailing
- Address: 419 IRVING I
- City: Fairbanks
- State_or_Province: Alaska
- Postal_Code: 99775
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: NA
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kmabt@loyola.edu
- Hours_of_Service: All Hours
- Contact_Position: EWHALE lab
- Cross_Reference:
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- Citation_Information:
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- Originator: see related references, data and metadata
- Publication_Date: Unknown
- Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:
- Data_Set_Credit:
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Kristin Abt, La Suerte Station; data collected
in Primate Behavior and Ecology course taught by Anna Nekaris and Vincent Nijman.
- Native_Data_Set_Environment: MS EXCEL
- Data_Quality_Information:
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- Logical_Consistency_Report:
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Data were collected and analyzed with consistent methods; however, a small fraction of the DBH and distance to the nearest tree within the t square plotless quadrat were estimated due to the precarious locations of 2 of the spider monkey sightings.
- Completeness_Report: Data are complete
- Lineage:
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- Methodology:
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- Methodology_Type: Field
- Methodology_Description:
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Research was conducted at La Suerte Biological Field Station, Costa Rica in May/June, 2008 in order to characterize the habitat of unhabituated spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) and to compare their use of space to neutral points in a fragmented patch of rainforest. Height to first branch using a laser range finder, circumference at breast height (CBH), and fruiting status (mature fruit or dormant reproductive) of each tree at first observation of the spider monkey(s) was collected. Additionally, t square plotless quadrats were performed in each area of observation to obtain the distance to each tree and its nearest neighbor, CBH, canopy cover, and number of saplings and compared to t square plotless quadrats performed at neutral points. A tree was counted in the quadrat if it met the requirement of at least 30 cm CBH. A sapling was counted if it had a woody stem and fell within a body width line transect between the first tree in each quadrat and its nearest neighbor. Canopy cover was estimated as a percent at approximately the middle point between the two trees using a sighting mirror.
- Process_Step:
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- Process_Description: No process steps have been described for this data set.
- Process_Date: Unknown
- Attribute_Accuracy:
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- Attribute_Accuracy_Report: na
- Positional_Accuracy:
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- Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
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- Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: GPS was used for obtaining location
- Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
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- Indirect_Spatial_Reference: trail system, hardcopy maps
- Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Point
- Spatial_Reference_Information:
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- Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
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- Geographic:
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- Latitude_Resolution: 0.0001
- Longitude_Resolution: 0.0001
- Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees
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- Horizontal_Datum_Name: World Geodetic System of 1984
- Ellipsoid_Name: World Geodetic System of 1984
- Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
- Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.25722210088
- Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
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- Detailed_Description:
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- Entity_Type:
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- Entity_Type_Label: SpiderData
- Entity_Type_Definition: Field data collected at La Suerte
- Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Observer
- Attribute_Definition: Observer
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Type
- Attribute_Definition: Spider monkey sighting or neutral point
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Location
- Attribute_Definition: Location on trail
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: GPS North
- Attribute_Definition: GPS North
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: GPS West
- Attribute_Definition: GPS West
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: CBH (cm)
- Attribute_Definition: Circumference at Breast Height (cm) of tree at first sight
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Height (m)
- Attribute_Definition: Height of tree at first sight (m)
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Fruiting
- Attribute_Definition: Fruiting Status of tree at first sight
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Sample
- Attribute_Definition: Sample Number
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Quadrat
- Attribute_Definition: Quadrat Number
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: QuadDist (m)
- Attribute_Definition: Distance to first tree in quadrat
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: 1stCBH (cm)
- Attribute_Definition: Circumference at breast height (cm) of first tree in quadrat
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: NearDist (m)
- Attribute_Definition: Distance (m) to nearest neighbor tree in quadrat
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: 2ndCBH (cm)
- Attribute_Definition:
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Circumference at breast height (cm) of nearest neighbor tree in quadrat
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Saplings
- Attribute_Definition: Number of Saplings
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Attribute:
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- Attribute_Label: Canopy Cover (%)
- Attribute_Definition: Percent Canopy Cover between 1st and 2nd tree in each quadrat
- Attribute_Definition_Source: Kristin Abt
- Distribution_Information:
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- Distributor:
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- Contact_Information:
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- Contact_Person_Primary:
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- Contact_Person: Kristin Abt (supervised by Anna Nekarnis and Vincent Nijman)
- Contact_Organization: Loyola College in Maryland
- Contact_Address:
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- Address_Type: mailing
- Address: 7213 Gough Street
- City: Baltimore
- State_or_Province: MD
- Postal_Code: 21224
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: (410)206-2047
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kmabt@loyola.edu
- Hours_of_Service: All Hours
- Distribution_Liability:
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The La Suerte fieldschool and authors shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (i.e. GIF or JPG format files) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. The related graphics are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not appropriate to use the related graphics as data. The La Suerte fieldschool and authors give no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from any public server and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on computer systems of the authors and others, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on other systems for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data.
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- Metadata_Date: 20080617
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- Contact_Person: Kristin Abt, and Falk Huettmann
- Contact_Organization: Loyola College in Maryland
- Contact_Address:
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- Address_Type: mailing
- Address: 7213 Gough Street
- Address: (419 IRVING I)
- City: Baltimore (and Fairbanks)
- State_or_Province: MD (and Alaska)
- Postal_Code: 21224 (and 99775)
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: 410-206-2047
- Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: none
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kmabt@loyola.edu (and fffh@uaf.edu)
- Hours_of_Service: All Hours
- Contact_Position: (EWHALE lab)
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Generated by mp version 2.8.25 on Mon Sep 22 17:29:07 2008