Canopy Gaps Bird Communities La Biche River Valley 1997 YT

Project name: WildTrax

Dataset summary : Purpose of the Study: To survey the forest-gap dynamics of the six forest types occurring in the La Biche Forest Management Unit. Individual Owner: Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada (Project lead - M. Gill) Study Area: SE Yukon, La Biche River Valley. Period of Study: 13 -25 Jun 1997 General Methodology: Randomly placed line transects in each forest type. Any discontinuity in the canopy cover pattern of a specific forest type that is caused by treefall or edaphic conditions is considered a "gap". Point counts conducted every 200 m along transect, plus at each gap encountered, unless survey area overlap occurs. Each count was 10 minutes long, but divided into 5-minute intervals. During each point count, all birds detected by sight or sound within 75 m of the observer were recorded, and distance to bird approximated. Birds further than 75 m from the observer were recorded, but excluded from analysis. Point count intervals were recorded separately. All counts were conducted between 5:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Each point was surveyed twice. Birds that did not exhibit a direct association with the surveyed habitat (e.g. birds flying well above the canopy) were excluded from further analysis. As well, other groups of species such as grouse, ducks, raptors, shorebirds and swallows which are not effectively surveyed using point counts were recorded on counts, but excluded from further analyses. Observer for all counts is Mike Gill. Information recorded which isn't in WildTrax: For every point count: Time, temperature, wind, cloud cover. For every detection: Sex, age, quadrat, behaviour/detection type For further information email: Donnees-SIG_SCF_NOR-Data-GIS_CWS_NOR@ec.gc.ca "This data was standardized for the Boreal Avian Modelling (BAM) Project and then transferred to WildTrax. Data was initially standardized for the BAM Version 4 SQL database. This was converted to BAM Version 6 Microsoft Access database in 2020 by updating the table structure. Finally, this data was moved to the WildTrax PostgreSQL database between 2021 to 2022 where it is accessible through the secure WildTrax website. As of 31 March 2022, data uploaded by BAM does not include some metadata. This metadata will become available in the near future following the necessary WildTrax updates. Please contact bamp@ualberta.ca if you require this metadata."

Protocol type : Point Count