Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network: Bird Point Count Data, Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, 2012-2017

Abstract: The Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network Bird Point Count Data contains transect-based bird fauna data collected annually, between 2012 and 2017, at a subset of 81 of the 175 permanent 3 hectare plots studied by the plot network in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. Birds are counted using repeated time-controlled (5 minute) point interval counts conducted at 0 m, 50 m and 100 m along a permanent 100 m long transect, ordinarily over November/December and usually on an annual basis (note there was no data collection in 2006, 2008, or 2015, for example). Observations are made by two different observers on two separate mornings. This is part of a much larger dataset that began in 1983, when the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network research plots commenced (but the research methods changed in 2004, which is the start year for this time series). A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://doi.org/10.25911/5c4445118125d Sampling method: Each long term monitoring site is 3 hectares. Study extent: Each site is 3 hectares, with monitoring occurring only on the central hectare which is usually square, measuring 100 x 100 m or occasionally sites measuring 200 x 50 m where they interface gullies. Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project has been part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN). This work was supported by the Australian Government’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (www.tern.org.au) – an Australian research infrastructure facility established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and Education Infrastructure Fund–Super Science Initiative through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Other funding agencies supporting this research project for various periods include: Parks Victoria (2004-2019); Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment (2004-2005); Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (2006-2011); Thomas Foundation (2009); Australian Research Council Discovery Program DP1097170 (2010-2015); National Environmental Research Program, Environmental Decisions Hub (2011-2014); Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries (2014-2018); Graeme Wood Foundation (2015-2017); and National Environmental Science Program, Threatened Species Recovery Hub (2015-2020).
Type
collection
Title
Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network: Bird Point Count Data, Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, 2012-2017
Alternate Title
Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network: Bird Counts, 2012-2017
Collection Type
Dataset
Access Privileges
Long Term Ecological Research Network
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
10.25911/5c4448c30e874
Metadata Language
English
Data Language
English
Brief Description
The Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network Bird Point Count Data contains transect-based bird fauna data collected annually between 2012 and 2017 at a subset of 81 of the 175 permanent 3 hectare plots studied by the plot network in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://doi.org/10.25911/5c4445118125d
Full Description
Abstract: The Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network Bird Point Count Data contains transect-based bird fauna data collected annually, between 2012 and 2017, at a subset of 81 of the 175 permanent 3 hectare plots studied by the plot network in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. Birds are counted using repeated time-controlled (5 minute) point interval counts conducted at 0 m, 50 m and 100 m along a permanent 100 m long transect, ordinarily over November/December and usually on an annual basis (note there was no data collection in 2006, 2008, or 2015, for example). Observations are made by two different observers on two separate mornings. This is part of a much larger dataset that began in 1983, when the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network research plots commenced (but the research methods changed in 2004, which is the start year for this time series). A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://doi.org/10.25911/5c4445118125d Sampling method: Each long term monitoring site is 3 hectares. Study extent: Each site is 3 hectares, with monitoring occurring only on the central hectare which is usually square, measuring 100 x 100 m or occasionally sites measuring 200 x 50 m where they interface gullies. Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project has been part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN). This work was supported by the Australian Government’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (www.tern.org.au) – an Australian research infrastructure facility established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and Education Infrastructure Fund–Super Science Initiative through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Other funding agencies supporting this research project for various periods include: Parks Victoria (2004-2019); Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment (2004-2005); Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (2006-2011); Thomas Foundation (2009); Australian Research Council Discovery Program DP1097170 (2010-2015); National Environmental Research Program, Environmental Decisions Hub (2011-2014); Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries (2014-2018); Graeme Wood Foundation (2015-2017); and National Environmental Science Program, Threatened Species Recovery Hub (2015-2020).
Methods
Plot setup
1
Bird fauna data was collected at a subset of 81 of the 175 permanent 3 hectare plots studied by the plot network.
Bird Point Count Surveys
2
Binoculars
Birds are counted using repeated time-controlled (5min) point interval counts conducted at 0 m, 50 m and 100 m along a permanent 100 m long transect. Bird surveys are conducted annually in November/December. A subset of 81 sites is surveyed each year. The sites are surveyed by two different observers on two separate mornings. Starting at dawn, and working through until 10am–11am depending on the temperature (on hotter days the birds stop calling earlier). Each site has 3 x (five minute) counts of all the birds seen and heard during the five minute period. Species type, abundance and distance away are recorded as well as time and weather variables.
Documentation
3
Field proformas were used.
File Descriptions
lvic_bird_site_information_2004+_p861t1100.csv
bird_visit_id
definitionAutomatically generated database sequence number
nominal text definitionCharacter
cloud
definition“Cloud” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
0clear
1scattered
2broken
3overcast
4total cover
NAnot measured
descriptionSite Information for Bird Point Count Survey Data, Central Highlands of Victoria, 2004+
finish_time
date time formathh:mm
definitionFinish time of survey, if recorded; value of NA means not measured. By definition, the finish time is 5 minutes after the start time, so usually the finish time is not recorded.
number of records5331
plot_number
definitionPlot number on the transect
nominal enumeration codes
10m point (actually a distance of 10m–20m along the transect)
250m point (a distance of 50m–60m along the transect)
3100m point (a distance of 90m–100m along the transect)
precipitation
definition“Precipitation” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
0no rain
1mist
2light
3moderate
4heavy
NAnot measured
repeat_number
definitionSurvey replicates in a given year, usually only 1 or 2 (since each site is repeated by two observers) but occasionally 3 (if observations are doubled-up)
interval number typenatural
interval standard unitnumber
site_code
definitionSite code is a number that uniquely identifies the observation site; the number relates to a site code marked in the field and on a GIS
nominal text definitionCharacter
start_time
date time formathh:mm
definitionStart time of survey, if recorded; value of NA means not measured
survey_date
date time formatYYYY-MM-DD
definitionDate of survey
survey_year
date time formatYYYY
definitionYear of survey
temperature
definition“Temperature” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
1cold
2cool
3mild
4warm
NAnot measured
visit_code
definitionVisit code, which is a combination of year-site code-plot number-repeat number; note this column links site information to the corresponding bird point count data
nominal text definitionCharacter
wind
definition“Wind” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
0no wind
1calm
2light
3moderate
4windy
NAnot measured
lvic_bird_point_counts_2004+_p861t1099.csv
abundance
definitionCount of species detected at that distance class
ratio number typewhole
ratio standard unitnumber
bird_data_id
definitionAutomatically generated database sequence number
nominal text definitionCharacter
descriptionBird Point Count Survey Data, Central Highlands of Victoria, 2004+
distance
definitionDistance class from survey point, plus additional category of “overhead”
nominal text definitionCharacter
number of records75435
scientific_name
definitionScientific name of species recorded. Blank values indicate no species were detected within that particular distance class
nominal text definitionCharacter
species
definitionCommon name of species recorded. Blank values indicate no species were detected within that particular distance class
nominal text definitionCharacter
visit_code
definitionVisit code, which is a combination of year-site code-plot number-repeat number; note this column links bird point count data to the corresponding site information
nominal text definitionCharacter
lvic_bird_point_counts_2012+_p861t1101.csv
abundance
definitionCount of species detected at that distance class
ratio number typewhole
ratio standard unitnumber
bird_data_id
definitionAutomatically generated database sequence number
nominal text definitionCharacter
descriptionBird Point Count Survey Data, Central Highlands of Victoria, 2012+
distance
definitionDistance class from survey point, plus additional category of “overhead”
nominal text definitionCharacter
number of records30095
scientific_name
definitionScientific name of species recorded. Blank values indicate no species were detected within that particular distance class
nominal text definitionCharacter
species
definitionCommon name of species recorded. Blank values indicate no species were detected within that particular distance class
nominal text definitionCharacter
visit_code
definitionVisit code, which is a combination of year-site code-plot number-repeat number; note this column links bird point count data to the corresponding site information
nominal text definitionCharacter
lvic_bird_site_information_2012+_p861t1102.csv
bird_visit_id
definitionAutomatically generated database sequence number
nominal text definitionCharacter
cloud
definition“Cloud” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
0clear
1scattered
2broken
3overcast
4total cover
NAnot measured
descriptionSite Information for Bird Point Count Survey Data, Central Highlands of Victoria, 2012+
finish_time
date time formathh:mm
definitionFinish time of survey, if recorded; value of NA means not measured. By definition, the finish time is 5 minutes after the start time, so usually the finish time is not recorded.
number of records2248
plot_number
definitionPlot number on the transect
nominal enumeration codes
10m point (actually a distance of 10m–20m along the transect)
250m point (a distance of 50m–60m along the transect)
3100m point (a distance of 90m–100m along the transect)
precipitation
definition“Precipitation” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
0no rain
1mist
2light
3moderate
4heavy
NAnot measured
repeat_number
definitionSurvey replicates in a given year, usually only 1 or 2 (since each site is repeated by two observers) but occasionally 3 (if observations are doubled-up)
interval number typenatural
interval standard unitnumber
site_code
definitionSite code is a number that uniquely identifies the observation site; the number relates to a site code marked in the field and on a GIS
nominal text definitionCharacter
start_time
date time formathh:mm
definitionStart time of survey, if recorded; value of NA means not measured
survey_date
date time formatYYYY-MM-DD
definitionDate of survey
survey_year
date time formatYYYY
definitionYear of survey
temperature
definition“Temperature” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
1cold
2cool
3mild
4warm
NAnot measured
visit_code
definitionVisit code, which is a combination of year-site code-plot number-repeat number; note this column links site information to the corresponding bird point count data
nominal text definitionCharacter
wind
definition“Wind” from look-up list (subjective measure); if the value is NA then it means the variable was not measured
ordinal enumeration codes
0no wind
1calm
2light
3moderate
4windy
NAnot measured
Contact Email
david.lindenmayer@anu.edu.au
Contact Address
Fenner School of Environment & Society ANU College of Medicine, Biology & Environment Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way CANBERRA, ACT, 0200 Australia
Contact Phone Number
+61 2 612 50654; +61 427 770 593
Contact Fax Number
+61 2 6125 0746
Principal Investigator
David Lindenmayer
Supervisors
David Lindenmayer
Collaborators
Warwick Papst; Melbourne Water; Parks Victoria
Fields of Research
0501 - Ecological Applications; 0602 - Ecology
Keywords
GCMD:Earth Science > Biological Classification > Animals/Vertebrates > Birds; LTERN Monitoring Theme:Birds; keyword:Avifauna; keyword:Birds; Victorian Tall Eucalypt Forest; Bird Counts
Type of Research Activity
Strategic basic research
Date Coverage
2017-01-04
2012-11-30
Geospatial Location
Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia
text
northlimit = -37.342523; southlimit = -37.919069; westlimit = 145.477922; eastLimit = 146.195374
iso19139dcmiBox
Date of data creation
2017-08-21
Year of data publication
2017
Creator(s) for Citation
Lindenmayer
David
Publisher for Citation
Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN), ANU Data Commons, The Australian National University
Related Websites
ANU Open Research. Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) collection.
https://hdl.handle.net/1885/130861
Other Related Identifiers
MorphoId:ltern7.50; PackageId:861
Access Rights
Co-authorship with the data provider (Professor David Lindenmayer) of any publication of research utilising this data is an expected outcome. The data provider also requests consultation, including a summary of the proposed research and intended use, before publication of research utilising this data is possible. Please note that data collected prior to 2012 is available via mediated access only.
Access Rights Type
Open
Rights held in and over the data
Creative Commons Licence (CC BY) is assigned to this data. Details of the licence can be found at http://creativecommons.org.au/licences.
Licence Type
CC-BY - Attribution (Version 4)
Licence
LTERN Deed: 48 Date of execution: 2017-07-10
Retention Period
Indefinitely
Data Management Plan
No
Status: Published
Published to:
  • Australian National University
  • Australian National Data Service
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