SuperSites Data Portal

Vertebrate Fauna Biodiversity Monitoring, Far North Queensland Rainforest SuperSite, Daintree, CTBCC, 2015

Citation

Williams, S (): Vertebrate Fauna Biodiversity Monitoring, Far North Queensland Rainforest SuperSite, Daintree, CTBCC, 2015. TERN Australian SuperSite Network. http://supersites.tern.org.au/knb/metacat/supersite.115.3/html

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Identifier
docid
supersite.115.3
Data Creators
Individual
Professor Stephen Williams
Organization
Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, James Cook University
Abstract

Monitoring of distributional and abundance data for Australian tropical rainforest vertebrates is required to inform a wide range of comparative studies on the determinants of biodiversity and assess the impacts of global climate change. The data set here serves as monitoring transects at Lamb Uplands (including Robson Creek node) and James Cook University Daintree Rainforest Observatory (Cape Tribulation node), for which data was collected using standarised survey techniques to assess distribution and abundance of vertebrates. It is part of a larger monitoring project that bisects latitudinal and elevational gradients across 5 mountain ranges in the Wet Tropics region. A monitory transect at the James Cook University Daintree Rainforest Observatory (Cape Tribulation node) is represented by 3 points along a 400m site for which birds are surveyed. The dataset here represents the monitoring at ~50m asl at the James Cook University Daintree Rainforest Observatory (TERN FNQ Supersite, Cape Tribulation node) at which biannual avifauna surveys will be conducted by The College of Marine and Environmental Sciences (CMES) at James Cook University (JCU) has a Memorandum of Understanding between TERN FNQ Rainforest SuperSite.

Contacts for Questions on the Use and Interpretation of Data
Individual
Professor Stephen Williams
Organization
Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, James Cook University
Address
ATSIP Precinct
Building 145
Townsville. QLD 4811
Australia
Phone
voice
+61 7 4781 5580
Email Address
stephen.williams@jcu.edu.au
Individual
Nadiah Roslan
Position
Research Officer
Organization
James Cook University
Address
College of Marine and Environmental Sciences
Townsville. QLD 4811
Australia
Phone
voice
07 4781 4417
Email Address
Nadiah.Roslan@jcu.edu.au
Project Information and Data Owners
Title
This data has been collected as part of Vertebrate Monitoring in the Australian Wet Tropics Rainforest project led by Prof. Stephen Williams at the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change. Biodiversity data collected from the TERN sites adds to Prof Williams’ existing database, which is the longest constant faunal survey ever conducted in the region, providing an invaluable, baseline data set.
Personnel
Role
Principal Investigator
Individual
Professor Stephen Williams
Organization
Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, James Cook University
Funding

Rainforest-CRC, MTSRF, NERP, TERN, Earthwatch and James Cook University (data collected on JCU course field trips BZ3755/5755)

Methods and Sampling Information
Methods
Method Step 1
Description
Transect set up

Identified 1km rainforest transects at different elevational and altitudinal gradients; 6 points at each transect, 200m apart. Deployed microclimate sensor stations at each transect, monitoring temperature and humidity.

Instrument
  • GPS, reflectors, flagging tape, marker, machete.
Method Step 2
Description
Data collection

Conduct standardised 30 min avifauna surveys at dawn at each point

Record environmental variables each survey (cloud cover, wind, rain, air temp, humidity, as well as other variables such as noise, flowering plants and moon presence/absence during spotlighting surveys.

Each individual animal is also given a reliability index and if sighted, microhabitat use is recorded eg log, rock, shrub, sub-canopy, canopy etc.)

Instrument
  • GPS, hipchain, thermometer, hygrometer, datasheet, binoculars, electronic bird field guide, stopwatch, water for hygrometer.
Method Step 3
Description
Data entry

Survey data is then entered onto our online Australian Wet Tropics MED Database (http://spatialecology.jcu.edu.au/dev/staff/med_login.php).

All data is now searchable online with national standards meta-data available on main data portals including JCU eResearch, Tropical Data Hub, Research Data Australia and eAtlas.

Instrument
  • These details can be provided by eResearch@jcu.edu.au
Sampling
Study Extent Description

These surveys follow well-established and extensively published methodologies within the Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change (e.g. Williams et al. Ecology 2010). Williams’ team conducts biannual avifauna surveys at Cape Trib node under an MoU between ASN and JCU.

Sampling Description

Under the larger Rainforest Biodiversity Monitoring project led by Prof. Williams, a regional microclimate sensor network at more than 30 sites was established more than 15 years ago and were strategically placed across elevational and latitudinal gradients in the Wet Tropics region to monitor biodiversity and climate change. An understanding of the drivers of biodiversity in the region is crucial to predicting impacts from a variety of threats and ensuring effective conservation planning and management that aims to maintain a resilient landscape.

Associated Parties
Role
Research Support Providers
Individual
eResearch Team at James Cook University
Keywords and Subject Categories
  • FNQR
  • Cape Tribulation
  • Daintree
  • rainforest
  • biodiversity
  • fauna
  • monitoring
  • CTBCC
anzsrc-for
  • 0501
  • 0502
  • 0602
Geographic Coverage
Geographic Description
James Cook University Daintree Rainforest Observatory, Cape Tribulation, Queensland Australia.
Bounding Coordinates
West
145.44905 degrees
 
East
145.44905 degrees
 
North
-16.103517 degrees
 
South
-16.103517 degrees
 
Temporal Coverage
Date
2015-04-07
Intellectual Rights, Licence and Usage Conditions

TERN-BY-SA

Data Table
asn_fnqr_daintree_fauna_birds_TLCC_201504.csv
Name
asn_fnqr_daintree_fauna_birds_TLCC_201504.csv
Description
CTBCC Bird Monitoring, Daintree, 2015
Attribute Information
site_name
Name
site_name
Definition
Site name
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
site
point_id
Name
point_id
Definition
Sampling point
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
sampling point
east
Name
east
Definition
x coordinate
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
meter
Number Type
natural
north
Name
north
Definition
y coordinate
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
meter
Number Type
natural
zone
Name
zone
Definition
UTM zone
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
UTM
datum
Name
datum
Definition
Datum
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
datum
latdecimal
Name
latdecimal
Definition
latitude
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
degree
Number Type
natural
longdecimal
Name
longdecimal
Definition
longitude
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
degree
Number Type
natural
species_id
Name
species_id
Definition
species id
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
species id
taxa
Name
taxa
Definition
taxa
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
taxa
species
Name
species
Definition
species name
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
species
common
Name
common
Definition
common name of species
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
common name
date_time
Name
date_time
Definition
date and time of sampling
Measurement Type
dateTime
Measurement Domain
Format
dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm
Precision
0
num_observed
Name
num_observed
Definition
Number of indviduals observed
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
natural
Number Of Records
18
Physical Structure Description
Object Name
asn_fnqr_daintree_fauna_birds_TLCC_201504.csv
Size
2437 byte
Text Format
Number of Header Lines
1
Record Delimiter
#x0A
Attribute Orientation
column
Simple Delimited
Field Delimiter
,
Distribution
Online
URL
supersite.114.1
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[read] cn=allusers,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[all] uid=supersite,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[all] uid=roslan,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
Additional Metadata Links
qualityControl
Additional Metadata : qualityControl
Metadata
qualityControl
@username
supersite
@timestamp
2015-05-24T10:35:53.659Z
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[read] public
[all] uid=supersite,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[all] uid=roslan,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org