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PIROP Northwest Atlantic

Entry ID: seamap280

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Summary

Abstract: The PIROP (Programme Intégré de recherches sur les oiseaux pélagiques) data set, Atlantic subset, consists of geo-referenced vessel-based surveys to monitor pelagic seabirds. Most surveys were carried out by R.G. B. Brown from 'vessels of opportunity' supplied by the Bedford Institute for Oceanography (BIO) in Dartmouth/Halifax, but many other platforms and observers were used, too. During these ...

Purpose: The PIROP data were collected for Canadian seabird monitoring purposes, focusing on the Canadian Atlantic, but also on other areas relevant to Canadian birds such as waters off Peru, off West Africa and off Europe.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Puffinus creatopus (Pink-footed Shearwater; ITIS: 174547) observed on 1982-08-16 12:00:00 at 53.9000:-55.5000 (id=151664) changed to Procellariidae ...

Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Data can be accessed through the OBIS and OBIS-SEAMAP web sites.

Multimedia Sample

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Caption: Seabird Survey

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: 79.78

S: -25.15

E: 18.57

W: -149.57

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Canadian Wildlife Service

Dataset Title: PIROP Northwest Atlantic

Dataset Series Name: OBIS-SEAMAP

Dataset Release Date: 2006-03-21 18:32:15-05

Dataset Release Place: http://seamap.env.duke.edu/

Dataset Publisher: OBIS-SEAMAP

Data Presentation Form: vector digital data

Online Resource: http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/index_e.cfm

Parent DIF

This data set description is a member of a collection. The collection is described in
OBIS-SEAMAP

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1965-01-22

Stop Date: 1992-09-30

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > CANADA > HUDSON BAY

OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MAINE

OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > BAY OF FUNDY

OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GEORGES BANK

Data Resolution

Latitude Resolution: 0.000167 Decimal degrees
Longitude Resolution: 0.000167 Decimal degrees
Horizontal Resolution Range: 1 meter - < 30 meters

Science Keywords

BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > BIRDS

BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > BIRDS > DUCKS/GEESE/SWANS

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

BOUNDARIES

Platform

SHIPS

Project

OBIS-SEAMAP > OBIS - Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations

Quality ATTRIBUTE ACCURACY REPORT: Sightings are referenced to the observer, the specific cruise and ship name, ship speed, time and date. Accuracy of bird ID and bird numbers are reported and presented in the database. For geo-referencing, normally there was no GPS available (but LORAN and ship navigation); few scientific names and classification has changed, e.g. subspecies. LOGICAL CONSISTENCY REPORT: ... Methods apparently changed after 1984 to follow closer Tasker et al. (1984) (from unlimited width transects to 300m wide strip-transects: 150m left and right). However, interpretation of data as index of relative abundance should not be affected for most species (e.g. as long as fully comparable conditions and species detectability is less than 150m). Potential biases could occur when birds flying by (snapshot counts' sensu' Tasker et al. 1984; see behaviour codes). Varying ship heights can affect how far seabird at sea can be detected. As described in the database, some transects are differing in length <> 10min and search effort (view angle <> 180 degrees forward). A minute transect consist of individual sightings; however, it needs to be assumed that some observers reported pooled sightings by species or transects. PIROP Database is split into two data sets, linked with a unique key field. PIROP dataset is divided into 4 octants (hemispheres). Time reference is made to Greenwich Time, not local or ship time. Ship speed is recorded to calculate seabirds per km transect. COMPLETENESS REPORT: Transects with confirmed absence are reported; however, absence need to be queried for 10minute transects where a specific species occurs but not another one (see Huettmann and Diamond 2001). High-turnover of observers might have included noise in the data. Some data and PIROP Notes were stored at BIO tapes, which were only in part recovered. Last data collected by R.G.B. Brown in the early 1990s were included into PIROP, also ferry and boat surveys off Grand Manan by F. Huettmann in the late 1990s (details Tony Lock). HORIZONTAL POSITIONAL ACCURACY REPORT: Latitude and Longitude (seconds). The 10 minute seabird transects were geo-referenced (latitude longitude, no seconds reported) at the beginning of each transect by the observer according to the ship log. If necessary, locations of specific observations within the 10 minute transect could be roughly obtained by extrapolating distance traveled using ship speed information. VERTICAL POSITIONAL ACCURACY REPORT: Ship cruise on water. Altitudinal variations are caused by tidal changes (irrelevant, occurs seldom), waves or ship height (both relevant e.g. view height of observer to detect seabirds). LINEAGE/PROCESS STEP: PROCESS DESCRIPTION: PIROP was set up by Paul Germaine and R.G.B. Brown, folowing closely King et al. (1967). Data were collected in the field on paper and notebooks, and in the office coded and transcribed, and then checked. Earlier database versions were used, some data were stored on BIO tapes; now all data were transformed to the Visual FoxPro software by Tony Lock (CWS-Dartmouth and a contractor). Analytical tools, e.g. bins, were produced appr. 1994 in EXCEL by Steven Gerriets and Tony Lock. PIROP data were analysed by A.W. Diamond and processed and queried by Eric Woodsworth at CWS in Ottawa. A PIROP software and data-entry mask was produced by Tony Lock and contractors in 1998; coding was unified. Additional old data were frequently added, e.g. by Falk Huettmann in 1997. A hardcopy of all PIROP data (state: 1997) was produced by Falk Huettmann and is located at ACWERN (Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Network) at the University of New Brunswick (UNB, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management). In 1998 the Manomet Bird Observatory Seabird-database was implemented by Tony Lock. 1999 PIROP was transferred to CWS-Sackville, John Chardine. PROCESS DATE: Transcription and Checking: Throughout entire period

Access Constraints ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: None; public domain DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY: Not to hold OBIS-SEAMAP liable for errors in the data. While we have made every effort to ensure the quality of the database, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of these datasets. Also please refer to Use Constraints.

Use Constraints Database owner is HM Queen in right of Canada. The datasets should be used with the corresponding effort dataset. Not to use data contained in OBIS-SEAMAP in any publication, product, or commercial application without prior written consent of the original data provider. To cite both the data provider and OBIS-SEAMAP appropriately after approval of use is obtained. Also please refer to Distribution Liability.

Ancillary Keywords

albatrosses

alcids

Data Center

National Institute of Polar Research, Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan

Data Center URL: http://www.nipr.ac.jp/

Data Center Personnel
Name: KOICHIRO DOI Phone: +81-42-512-0701 Email: doi at nipr.ac.jp Contact Address: 10-3, Midori-cho City: Tachikawa-shi Province or State: Tokyo Postal Code: 190-8518 Country: JAPAN