Inventory and BioBlitz Records from rare Charitable Research Reserve

Study Extent

Samples were collected from the rare Charitable Research Reserve beginning May 1, 2015 and concluding by 2 AM Monday, August 17, 2015.

Sampling

Malaise traps were deployed in May 2015 and passively collected samples for 4 months. Pitfall traps in the vicinity of the malaise traps were deployed at the same time and checked once weekly. For the weeks of May 25-31 and July 6-12 2015, standardized sampling procedures developed by the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario were employed for three different sites at rare. Standardized sampling collection efforts include 20 pitfall traps, 10 pan traps, 3 soil samples for berlese funnels, 1 intercept trap and 1 malaise trap. The remainder of collection efforts are described in a publication detailing the short-term collection and the BioBlitz, "Biodiversity inventories in high gear: DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve".

Quality Control

Traps were revisited for servicing according to a schedule, which varied according to the needs of the trap. All specimens are visible on BOLD (www.boldsystems.org). Through comparison with other specimens using their DNA barcode sequences, contaminated specimens and misidentifications were discovered and fixed.

Method steps

1. See sampling description and quality control.

All specimens were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible with a combination of morphological examination and DNA barcode analysis.

1. Arthropoda
   rank: phylum
2. Plantae
   rank: kingdom
3. Fungi
   rank: kingdom

Area surveyed was property of the rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.