Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network (Fauna): Vertebrate Trapping, Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia, 2016
Abstract: These data are records of all vertebrates trapped during the 2016 Litchfield survey.
A total of 220 permanent monitoring plots were established between 1994-2002 across three parks (Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk) in the top end of the Northern Territory, representing the Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network. A detailed flora and fauna survey has been conducted at each plot on a 5-6 year cycle to monitor biotic changes. Plots represent a variety of landforms and vegetation types.
Litchfield National Park contains 40 plots. In 2016, 20 plots were surveyed for terrestrial vertebrate fauna using a range of survey methods. In addition, at all plots sampling also occurred at a second plot directly adjacent to the traditional plot.
A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Three Park Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network’s full program is provided at https://doi.org/10.25911/5c35959d4530d
Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project was part of, and funded through the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) a facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) and supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.
Type
collection
Title
Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network (Fauna): Vertebrate Trapping, Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia, 2016
Alternate Title
Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects - Fauna Plot Network: Vertebrate Trapping Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk, 2016
Collection Type
Dataset
Access Privileges
Long Term Ecological Research Network
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
10.25911/5c3eb921a4aa4
Metadata Language
English
Data Language
English
Brief Description
These data are records of all vertebrates trapped during the 2016 Litchfield survey.
A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Three Park Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network’s full program is provided at https://doi.org/10.25911/5c35959d4530d
Full Description
Abstract: These data are records of all vertebrates trapped during the 2016 Litchfield survey.
A total of 220 permanent monitoring plots were established between 1994-2002 across three parks (Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk) in the top end of the Northern Territory, representing the Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network. A detailed flora and fauna survey has been conducted at each plot on a 5-6 year cycle to monitor biotic changes. Plots represent a variety of landforms and vegetation types.
Litchfield National Park contains 40 plots. In 2016, 20 plots were surveyed for terrestrial vertebrate fauna using a range of survey methods. In addition, at all plots sampling also occurred at a second plot directly adjacent to the traditional plot.
A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Three Park Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network’s full program is provided at https://doi.org/10.25911/5c35959d4530d
Project funding: Between 2012 and 2018 this project was part of, and funded through the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) a facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) and supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.
Methods
Plot set-up
1
Litchfield National Park contains 40 plots, each with a paired plot located within 1 km of the primary plot.
Data collection
2
Binoculars and GPS
The trapping grid at primary plots was set up directly adjacent to the permanent 40 x 20 m flora monitoring plots (marked with a baseline and end-line of star steels and a permanent metal post and metal number tag). The location for the secondary paired plot was found using a handheld GPS, and the waypoint for the site was considered the centre point around which a 50 x 50 m trapping grid was set up. During set up both primary and secondary plots were marked out using flagging tape and a tape measure. The layout of traps at each plot included:
• 16 Elliott traps around the perimeter – 4 on each side, at 8 m apart.
• 8 cage traps – one in each corner, and one mid-way along each edge.
• 4 pit traps scattered within the quadrat. Each pit trap comprises a 20 litre plastic bucket dug into the ground with 10 m of drift-fence set across it to channel small ground-dwelling fauna into the bucket. Pits were located in different microhabitats in the quadrat e.g. in open ground; in dense grass; close to trees; in rocky areas.
• Where pit traps could not be installed (due to rock slab, etc) funnel traps were placed in pairs midway along 10 m drift fences, scattered within the quadrat.
The trapping protocol was as follows:
• The location of all traps was marked clearly by tying flagging tape to surrounding vegetation so they can be easily located.
• Elliott and cage traps were baited with a mixture of oats, peanut butter and honey.
• Pitfall and funnel traps were not baited.
• Pitfall traps contain shelter (e.g., sand, leaf litter, and in dry areas should contain a damp cloth).
• Elliott, cage, and funnel traps were placed in situations where they are sheltered from the sun by shrub, grasses, rocks or logs and groundwater by their direction and location in the environment.
Cage and Elliott traps were baited at the end of each day prior to sunset, and checked and closed not more than 1 hr after dawn. Pit traps and funnel traps were checked at dawn, midday, and dusk each day. Mammals and reptiles caught were identified to species level before being released.
• 16 Elliott traps around the perimeter – 4 on each side, at 8 m apart.
• 8 cage traps – one in each corner, and one mid-way along each edge.
• 4 pit traps scattered within the quadrat. Each pit trap comprises a 20 litre plastic bucket dug into the ground with 10 m of drift-fence set across it to channel small ground-dwelling fauna into the bucket. Pits were located in different microhabitats in the quadrat e.g. in open ground; in dense grass; close to trees; in rocky areas.
• Where pit traps could not be installed (due to rock slab, etc) funnel traps were placed in pairs midway along 10 m drift fences, scattered within the quadrat.
The trapping protocol was as follows:
• The location of all traps was marked clearly by tying flagging tape to surrounding vegetation so they can be easily located.
• Elliott and cage traps were baited with a mixture of oats, peanut butter and honey.
• Pitfall and funnel traps were not baited.
• Pitfall traps contain shelter (e.g., sand, leaf litter, and in dry areas should contain a damp cloth).
• Elliott, cage, and funnel traps were placed in situations where they are sheltered from the sun by shrub, grasses, rocks or logs and groundwater by their direction and location in the environment.
Cage and Elliott traps were baited at the end of each day prior to sunset, and checked and closed not more than 1 hr after dawn. Pit traps and funnel traps were checked at dawn, midday, and dusk each day. Mammals and reptiles caught were identified to species level before being released.
File Descriptions
tpsl_vertebrate_trapping_p734t973.csv
| abundance |
| ||||||||||
| common_name |
| ||||||||||
| date |
| ||||||||||
| description | Terrestrial vertebrate trapping data for Litchfield 2016 | ||||||||||
| id |
| ||||||||||
| number of records | 307 | ||||||||||
| scientific_name |
| ||||||||||
| site |
| ||||||||||
| species_id |
| ||||||||||
| survey |
| ||||||||||
| survey_site |
|
Contact Email
alaric.fisher@nt.gov.au
Contact Address
PO Box 496
Palmerston, Northern Territory, 0831
Australia
Contact Phone Number
+61 8 8995 5002;
+61 478 404 546
Principal Investigator
Alaric Fisher
Supervisors
Alaric Fisher
Collaborators
John Woinarski;
Northern Territory Government Department of Land Resource Management;
Graeme Gillespie;
Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission;
Luke Einoder
Fields of Research
0502 - Environmental Science and Management;
0602 - Ecology;
0608 - Zoology
Keywords
GCMD:Earth Science > Biosphere > Terrestrial Ecosystems > Savannas;
GCMD:Earth Science > Biological Classification > Animals/Vertebrates;
LTERN Monitoring Theme:Mammals;
LTERN Monitoring Theme:Herpetofauna;
keyword:Invasive animals;
keyword:Vertebrates;
keyword:Litchfield National Park;
Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects - Fauna;
Kakadu, Litchfield, Nitmiluk;
Vertebrate Trapping
Type of Research Activity
Strategic basic research
Date Coverage
2016
Geospatial Location
Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia
text
northlimit = -13.038; southlimit = -13.52589; westlimit = 130.68445; eastLimit = 130.9701
iso19139dcmiBox
Date of data creation
2017-07-31
Year of data publication
2017
Creator(s) for Citation
Fisher
Alaric
Publisher for Citation
Long Term Ecological Research Network
Other Related Identifiers
MorphoId:ltern.342;
PackageId:734
Access Rights
Users are required to contact the data provider (Graeme Gillespie) to discuss use of these data, including collaboration or co-authorship where appropriate.
Users are also required to seek permission from Northern Territory Government Department of Land Resource to discuss use of all of these data packages, and Parks Australia prior to use of data packages from Kakadu National Park.
Access Rights Type
Open
Rights held in and over the data
Creative Commons Licence (CC BY- Attribution) is assigned to this data. Details of the licence can be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Licence Type
CC-BY - Attribution (Version 4)
Licence
LTERN Deed: 47
Date of execution: 2017-05-12
Data Location
https://datacommons.anu.edu.au
Retention Period
Indefinitely
Data Management Plan
No
Status: Published
Published to:
Published to:
- Australian National University
- Australian National Data Service
Related items
- hasAssociationWith:
Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network (Fauna) data packages, 1994-2018 [anudc:5552] - hasAssociationWith:
Luke Einoder [anudc:5603] - hasAssociationWith:
Dr Alaric Fisher [anudc:5561] - hasAssociationWith:
Graeme Gillespie [anudc:5588] - hasAssociationWith:
John Woinarski [anudc:5598] - hasAssociationWith:
Northern Territory. Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission [anudc:5637] - hasAssociationWith:
Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission [anudc:5638]