Tetraonid line transect surveys from Norway: Data from Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo)

Erlend B. Nilsen; Roald Vang; Einar Asbjørnsen

doi:10.15468/s7c8qd

Tetraonid line transect surveys from Norway: Data from Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo)

Citation

Nilsen E B, Vang R, Asbjørnsen E (2024). Tetraonid line transect surveys from Norway: Data from Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo). Version 1.13. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/s7c8qd accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-11-03.

Description

The dataset originates from a line transect survey program in Finnmark county in northern Norway carried out from 2000- and onward. The surveys are part of a national program - Hønsefuglportalen (http://honsefugl.nina.no), operated in close collaboration among NINA (www.nina.no), Nord University (www.nord.no), Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (www.inn.no) as well as landowners responsible for grouse management on their properties (state-owned land on Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo), Statskog, and Fjellstyrene, as well as several private landowners).

In general, NINA offers common e-infrastructure for data entry, data curation, management of users and communication from the project (http://honsefugl.nina.no). NINA together with the involved universities are offering advice regarding sampling design, and has developed a standard field protocol used by all participating stakeholders. The specific part of the program carried out on FeFo's property is operated in collaboration between NINA and FeFo, with clear and distinct allocation of tasks and responsibilities between the parties. FeFo is responsible for conducting field work, as well as final decisions regarding allocation of transect lines among study areas.

Surveys are carried out mainly by volunteer personnel instructed to follow standardized field protocols. Field work is carried out annually in August, with a team of two persons following pre-defined transect lines, using trained pointing dogs to search both sides of the transect line. When birds are observed, species, cluster size (separated into age- and sex classes), perpendicular distances from the transect line to the observed cluster of birds, GPS coordinates of the clusters and time of day are recorded. In addition, length (and geographical position) of the transect line is recorded, as well as some other auxiliary data.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

Surveys are carried out annually in August, mainly in the period of 5th - 20th August. Specific locations of surveys have changed over the time period. A study site consist of a collection of two or more transect lines. Since 2013, sampling has been conducted in 25-30 study sites across 3 main regions. Since 2012, total annual effort has been approximately 400km per year.

Sampling

In August each year, field work is carried out by volunteer personnel instructed to follow a standardized field protocols. A team of two persons followe pre-defined transect lines, using trained pointing dogs to search both sides of the transect line. When birds are observed, species, cluster size (separated into age- and sex classes), perpendicular distances from the transect line to the observed cluster of birds, GPS coordinates and time of day is recorded. In addition, length (and position) of the transect line is recorded, as well as some other auxillary data.

Quality Control

Since the establishment of the common e-infrastrucure Hønsefuglportalen in 2013, quality control has been included at several stages of the process. First, the data entry forms are designed such that impossible or unlikely values are not allowed, and all data fields must be completed. Second, for each study site, a local administrator is responsible for quality control just after the annual field work period in August. Last, participating research institutions conduct additional quality control when analyzing data for management or scientific purposes.

Method steps

Additional information could be found at "http://honsefugl.nina.no" or in Eriksen, L. F., P. F. Moa, and E. B. Nilsen. 2018. Quantifying risk of overharvest when implementation is uncertain. Journal of Applied Ecology 55:482-493. doi 10.1111/1365-2664.12992.

Taxonomic Coverages

This line transect program focus on tetraonid gamebirds (subfamiliy: Tetraoninae - family: Phasianidae), which in Norway include willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta), black grouse (Tetrao tetrix), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) and hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia). Not all species are found all of the areas where the line transect surveys in this program are performed. Most of the surveys target willow ptarmigan monitoring, which is also reflected in the spatial distribution of survey lines.

Lagopus lagopus
common name: Willow ptarmigan rank: species
Lagopus muta
common name: Rock ptarmigan rank: species
Tetrao tetrix
common name: Black grouse rank: species
Tetrao urogallus
common name: Capercaillie rank: species
Bonasa bonasia
common name: Hazel grouse rank: species

Geographic Coverages

This data set includes data from Finnmark county in Norway

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Erlend B. Nilsen
originator
position: Senior Research Scientist
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
Trondheim
7485
NO
Telephone: +4741425684
email: erlend.nilsen@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-8331

Roald Vang
originator
position: Data Manager
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
Trondheim
7485
NO
email: roald.vang@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4006-8689

Einar Asbjørnsen
originator
Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo)
Torget
Lakselv
NO
email: eja@fefo.no
homepage: http://www.fefo.no

Erlend B. Nilsen
metadata author
position: Senior Research Scientist
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
7485
NO
email: erlend.nilsen@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-8331

Roald Vang
metadata author
position: Data Manager
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
Trondheim
7485
NO
email: roald.vang@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4006-8689

Erlend B. Nilsen
principal investigator
position: Senior Research Scientist
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
Trondheim
7485
NO
Telephone: +4741425684
email: erlend.nilsen@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-8331

Einar Asbjørnsen
owner
Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo)
Torget
Lakselv
NO
email: eja@fefo.no
homepage: http://www.fefo.no

Erlend B. Nilsen
administrative point of contact
position: Senior Research Scientist
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
Trondheim
7485
NO
Telephone: +4741425684
email: erlend.nilsen@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-8331

Roald Vang
administrative point of contact
position: Data Manager
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Postboks 5685 Torgarden
Trondheim
7045
NO
email: roald.vang@nina.no
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4006-8689

Einar Asbjørnsen
administrative point of contact
Finnmarkseiendommen (FeFo)
Torget
Lakselv
NO
email: eja@fefo.no
homepage: http://www.fefo.no