Opportunistic Survey Data of Common Gull (Larus canus) and other detections in an Urban Environment, downtown Fairbanks, Interior Alaska during mid-May 2014

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Falk Huettmann - Mark Spangler

Publication_Date: 20140622

Publication_Time: NA

Title:

Opportunistic Survey Data of Common Gull (Larus canus) and other detections in an Urban Environment, downtown Fairbanks, Interior Alaska during mid-May 2014

Edition: 1

Series_Information:

Series_Name: 1

Issue_Identification: 1

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF)

Publisher: EWHALE lab, University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF)

Other_Citation_Details: NA

Online_Linkage:

See other surveys done by the authors and for gulls ravens in winter and in summer, as well as online.

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database

Description:

Abstract:

This dataset presents a Common Gull (Mew Gull, Larus canus, Taxonomic Serial Number TSN 176832) survey data set for urban areas and stripmall parking lots (app. 300mx600m), super markets, fast food restaurants, gravel pits, small ponds and the riverside (Chena) in Fairbanks, interior Alaska located app. 120 miles south of the arctic circle. We did geo-referenced 50 point surveys and detections in a rapid assessment fashion. Some opportunistic data were also taken when cruising. Gull data included detection width to obtain correction factors. Data were geo-referenced with a GPS in decimal degrees (latitude and longitude, geographic datum of WGS84) collected in early breeding season, 17th of May in 2014 on a Saturday (regular shopping and business times in the U.S.) between 8.15 AM and 5 PM by driving opportunistically on public strip mall parking lots, domestic areas and other locations of relevance for gull presences and absences in the survey area (app. 200m radius). These non-intrusive citizen science car-based surveys result into a virtually unbiased data providing a representative snap shot in space and time for the study area. Stripmall parking lots near rivers represent a typical situation of where Common Gulls are found in an urban habitat during breeding season. We reported basic gull behaviour also. Some other bird species were recorded as well but not in great detail, e.g. American Wigeon, Lesser Scaup, Pigeon, White Crowned Sparrow, Swallow sp, Shorebirds sp, Mallard, Lesser Yellowleg, American Robin, Scaups sp., Common Raven, Bunting sp., Grassland birds, Northern Shoveler, Grebe sp., Dark-eyed Junco, Herring Gull, Grouse sp. Noteworthy are the higher abundances of planes and helicopters. The gull abundance seems to be driven by food items on the parking lot, e.g. provided by an adjacent fast food restaurant and by wetland areas nearby (e.g. Chena river and gravel pits) where the gulls find good conditions for nearby nesting. Gulls seem to be quite colonial. This survey is unique and contributes to multi-year baseline information relevant for gulls, ravens, urban subsidized predators (e.g. raptors) in the interior of Alaska. They are a simple but powerful snapshots in time and space and when put into an overall ecological context, e.g. as done with Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis. Some photos exist for visual information. The dataset is provided in MS Excel, consists of 144 rows and is less than 1MB in size.

Purpose:

To provide basic information for summer on Common Gull abundance, behaviour and related information in a quantitative and geo-referenced rapid asseessment fashion for interior urban Alaska. Some other species are also covered. This dataset is primarily used as a rapid assessment.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 201307

Currentness_Reference: current

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: 147.55201

East_Bounding_Coordinate: 147.87994

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 64.79695

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 64.87896

Description_of_Geographic_Extent:

Urban Fairbanks, interior Alaska. Downtown wiewsheds of supermarket and fast food restaurants, parking lots, schools, churches, gravel pits, small ponds and other wetlands e.g. Chena River, Alaska, USA.

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: Urban Ecology

Theme_Keyword: Common Gull

Theme_Keyword: Larus canus

Theme_Keyword: Summer

Theme_Keyword: Nesting

Theme_Keyword: Strip Mall

Theme_Keyword: Gravel Pit

Theme_Keyword: Fastfood restaurant

Theme_Keyword: Alaska

Theme_Keyword: Interior Alaska

Theme_Keyword: Baseline data

Theme_Keyword: Opportunistic Surveys

Theme_Keyword: Interior Alaska

Theme_Keyword: USA

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Park Service Theme Category Thesaurus

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Fairbanks

Place_Keyword: Alaska

Place_Keyword: Interior Alaska

Place_Keyword: USA

Place_Keyword: Urban

Place_Keyword: Downtown

Place_Keyword: Strip Mall

Place_Keyword: Gravel Pit

Place_Keyword: Fastfood restaurant

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Park System Unit Name Thesaurus

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Park System Unit Code Thesaurus

Access_Constraints: Freely available, ideally by arrangement with data owner.

Use_Constraints:

None. Interpretation best possible within framework of data collection protocol. Intimate knowledge about Gull and the study area is highly suggested. Contact data owner for details.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Falk Huettmann (and Mark Spangler)

Contact_Organization: UAF

Contact_Position: Associate Professor (and student)

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 907 474 7882

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: fhuettmann@alaska.edu

Browse_Graphic:

Browse_Graphic_File_Name: photos

Browse_Graphic_File_Description: Camera photos

Browse_Graphic_File_Type: JPEG

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

see 'ravens in winter' surveys for other gull and related urban data

Publication_Date: Unknown

Title: see metadata title (same)

Edition: 1

Series_Information:

Series_Name: 1

Issue_Identification: 1

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: 1

Publisher: 1

Other_Citation_Details: None

Online_Linkage: see USGS metadata clearninghouse and dSPACE/UAF

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database

Taxonomy:

Keywords/Taxon:

Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Taxonomic_Keywords: multiple species

Taxonomic_Keywords: animals

Taxonomic_Keywords: vertebrates

Taxonomic_Keywords: birds

Taxonomic_Keywords: Mew Gull (Larus canus, TSN 176832),

Taxonomic_Keywords: American Wigeon

Taxonomic_Keywords: Lesser Scaup

Taxonomic_Keywords: Pigeon

Taxonomic_Keywords: White Crowned Sparrow

Taxonomic_Keywords: Swallow sp

Taxonomic_Keywords: Shorebirds sp

Taxonomic_Keywords: Mallard

Taxonomic_Keywords: Lesser Yellowleg

Taxonomic_Keywords: American Robin

Taxonomic_Keywords: Scaups sp.

Taxonomic_Keywords: Common Raven

Taxonomic_Keywords: Bunting sp.

Taxonomic_Keywords: Grassland birds

Taxonomic_Keywords: Northern Shoveler

Taxonomic_Keywords: Grebe sp.

Taxonomic_Keywords: Dark-eyed Junco

Taxonomic_Keywords: Herring Gull

Taxonomic_Keywords: Grouse sp

Taxonomic_System:

Classification_System/Authority:

Classification_System_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Unknown

Publication_Date: Unknown

Title:

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:

Classification_System_Modifications: ITIS.org

Identification_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Authors and Birds of Alaska

Publication_Date: Unknown

Title:

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:

Taxonomic_Procedures: Field ID by authors using Alaskan literature, e.g. Sibley

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom

Taxon_Rank_Value: Animalia

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Phylum

Taxon_Rank_Value: Chordata

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Subphylum

Taxon_Rank_Value: Vertebrata

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Class

Taxon_Rank_Value: Aves

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Order

Taxon_Rank_Value: Charadriiformes

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Family

Taxon_Rank_Value: Laridae

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus

Taxon_Rank_Value: Larus

Applicable_Common_Name: Gulls

Applicable_Common_Name: Ivory Gulls

Applicable_Common_Name: Kittiwakes

Applicable_Common_Name: Ross' Gulls

Applicable_Common_Name: Sabine's Gulls

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Species

Taxon_Rank_Value: Larus canus

Applicable_Common_Name: Gaviota cana

Applicable_Common_Name: Mew Gull

Applicable_Common_Name: Goéland cendré

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Order

Taxon_Rank_Value: Passeriformes

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Family

Taxon_Rank_Value: Corvidae

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus

Taxon_Rank_Value: Corvus

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Species

Taxon_Rank_Value: Corvus corax

Applicable_Common_Name: Cuervo común

Applicable_Common_Name: Common Raven

Applicable_Common_Name: grand corbeau

Applicable_Common_Name: Northern Raven

Data_Set_Credit: EWHALE lab, authors

Security_Information:

Security_Classification_System: None

Security_Classification: Unclassified

Security_Handling_Description: None

Native_Data_Set_Environment: PC, field notebook, GPS

Analytical_Tool:

Analytical_Tool_Description: GPS and field note book, car surveys and on foot

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Data are collected opportunistically but reliable and as a snap shot and rapid assessment. Should be put into context with other data and future work.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Data are collected opportunistically, a snap shot in space and time for Fairbanks downtown study area. Rapid assessment approach.

Completeness_Report: Data are complete as a data set.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: 10m horizontal and for commercial GPS

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field

Methodology_Identifier:

Methodology_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Methodology_Keyword: Opportunstic surveys

Methodology_Keyword: Common Gull presence only

Methodology_Keyword: Occurrence

Methodology_Description:

These data were collected in a similar fashion than done with wintering ravens in Fairbanks previous years. Except, we did NOT follow fixed plots but CRUISED through Fairbanks down region and noted opportunistically all sightings of Common Gulls, ge-referenced with a GPS. Some detection distances were also taken. We believe this allows for the best and most representative survey data for gulls in Fairbanks downtown region (study area).

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: cite authors for general concept

Publication_Date: Unknown

Title:

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

This data set remains in raw Excel data sheets and is reayd to be GIS mapped, and merged with more data and previous data (Raven surveys featuring gulls).

Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Downtown Fairbanks, Alaska see GIS data

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Point

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: 0.001

Longitude_Resolution: 0.001

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Geodetic_Model:

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

Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Altitude_System_Definition:

Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988

Altitude_Distance_Units: meters

Altitude_Encoding_Method: Implicit coordinate

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Gull_survey_Fairbanks_17_May_2014

Entity_Type_Definition: title of our data sheet

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: plotname

Attribute_Definition: name of plot

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: latitude

Attribute_Definition: latitude of point

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: longitude

Attribute_Definition: longitude of point

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: day

Attribute_Definition: day of survey

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: month

Attribute_Definition: month of point

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: year

Attribute_Definition: year of point

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: time

Attribute_Definition: time of survey

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: PresAbs

Attribute_Definition:

presence or absence at a plot level of common gull - 0 means absence, 1 means presence

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Species

Attribute_Definition: name of observed species at point

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: number

Attribute_Definition: number of observed species

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: detectionwidth

Attribute_Definition: width from the deceted bird

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: observer

Attribute_Definition: people who made the survey

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: observationplatform

Attribute_Definition: platform of which observation carried out

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: comments

Attribute_Definition: some general comments about the point, about the birds

Attribute_Definition_Source: authors

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: see authors

Distribution_Liability: None

Standard_Order_Process:

Fees: None

Resource_Description: see authors for details

Custom_Order_Process:

contact authors in officie, via phone or email

Technical_Prerequisites: IBM PC

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20031106

Metadata_Review_Date: 20031114

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Falk Huettmann and Mark Spangler

Contact_Organization: UAF

Contact_Position: Associate Professor and tudent

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 907 474 7882

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: fhuettmann@alaska.edu

Hours_of_Service: business hours

Contact_Instructions: regular office hours, phone or email

Metadata_Standard_Name:

FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999

Metadata_Extensions:

Online_Linkage: <http://nrdata.nps.gov/profiles/NPS_Profile.xml>

Profile_Name: NPS NR and GIS Metadata Profile

Metadata_Future_Review_Date: 20031106

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time

Metadata_Access_Constraints: NA

Metadata_Use_Constraints: NA

Metadata_Security_Information:

Metadata_Security_Classification_System: NA

Metadata_Security_Classification: NA

Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: NA