Bird survey with mapping at the permanent sample plots in the Prioksko-Terrasnyi Biosphere Reserve

Study Extent

The permanent sampling plots was provided with 50x50 m grid system of orientation marks and were situated only in old-growth (700-120 years old) stands. Totally they covered 100 ha. Each permanent sampling plot was surveyed during the breeding season with 4 visits in 2018 and 11-15 visits in 2019-2020. A day on the plot for one visit, the researcher spent 6-8 hours mapping the locations of birds. A total of 97 censuses (sample events) were conducted, and for each census, it is possible generate a map of the distribution of birds on the localities of occurrence on the day of census. The data set includes 7173 registrations of 16394 individuals of birds belonging to 66 species. On average, there are 56 occurrences (128 individuals) per 25 ha plot.

Sampling

A survey of birds was carried out based on the methodology of Manual for Integrated Monitoring. (ICP IM methodology (1998), section 7.24 Optional subprogramme BB: Inventory of birds. Finnish Environment Institute, ICP IM Programme Centre, Helsinki, Finland). URL https://www.syke.fi/en-US/Research__Development/Nature/Monitoring/Integrated_Monitoring/Manual_for_Integrated_Monitoring/7_Methodology_and_Reporting_of_Subprogrammes/724_Optional_subprogramme_BB_Inventory_o(14653) The methodology was refined using the technology of mapping natural objects using the NextGIS software line NextGIS (http://nextgis.com/) and cloud service Web GIS https://nextgis.ru/nextgis-com/ Bird census were carried out on 3 permanent sampling plots: 25 ha (550×450 m), 35 ha (700×500 m), 40 ha (800×500 m). Each sampling plot was surveyed during the breeding season with 4 visits in 2018 and 11-15 visits in 2019-2020. A day on the plot for one visit the researcher spent 6-8 hours mapping the locations of birds. The method of survey involves the use of a field mobile device with satellite navigator block (used Oukitel wp2), the line of NextGIS programs (http://nextgis.com/ ) and GIS cloud service https://nextgis.ru/nextgis-com/.

Quality Control

Using the NextGIS software, you can enter a list of species according to GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. The date, time, and geographical coordinates of the objects are entered into the table automatically, which eliminates accidental errors. Data from a one visit of plot can be compared with data from the previous visit when the corresponding layer is visualized with data from the previous census. Using the NextGIS Mobile program, you can link encountered birds to forest map "in the field", which facilitates mapping of birds.

Method steps

1. Preparing a data collection project The open source program NextGIS Mobile must be pre-installed on your smartphone (https://nextgis.com/nextgis-mobile/ ). Using the NextGIS Formbuilder (https://nextgis.com/nextgis-formbuilder ) desktop program, you can create an accounting form that records the type of bird, the number of individuals, geographical coordinates, and the time of the bird's meeting. The registration form also includes related data that are important for calculating the number of birds per area and identifying nesting sites: sex and life stage of the bird, singing males, nesting pairs, bird behavior indicating nesting, and the presence of chicks. The boundaries of the plots, grid squares, and routes of the meter's passage were determined using a specially developed script called " Set of squares generator" https://docs.nextgis.com/docs_toolbox/source/tools.html#set-of-squares-generator This program creates a grid of squares (polygons) divided into a grid with 50 x 50 m2 meshes (so-called territory mapping method), each can be used as an inventory point and their traversal transects for a sampling plot. Only the outer borders of the sampling plots and the bird accounted routes were marked on the ground.
2. Field data collection Bird censuses are carried out in the first half of the day in weather without strong wind and without wet precipitation. As a rule, the time of censuses are from 4 to 12 o'clock local time (UTC 0+2). The column eventDate in dataset shows the date and time UTC 0. The date and time of the meeting, as well as the locality of the bird, are recorded automatically from your mobile device. Plots were checked by proceeding along marked lines “by shuttle”, 50 m apart. At each occurrence of the bird the coordinates of its location and related data were noted using the Oukitel wp2 field smartphone with the pre installed open source program NextGIS Mobile (https://nextgis.com/nextgis-mobile/). Coordinates of individual bird's occurrences are not presented in the dataset due to some restrictions of Sampling Event data format. Identification of all birds was carried out both visually and by voice. The mapping also collected related data that are important for calculating the number of birds per area and identifying nesting sites: the sex and age of the bird, noted singing males, nesting pairs, bird behavior indicating nesting, and the presence of chicks.
3. View and get the results of field data collection After field data collecting, in order to view the results, or get them in the desired form, NextGIS Web — Web GIS is used (https://nextgis.com/nextgis-com/ ), which allows you to upload, view (on the map and in the form of attribute data tables), edit and upload data for analysis and processing using a regular browser. Further work with the data is performed in the NextGIS QGIS or any other GIS program. Tables with survey data can be easily converted to the Darwin Core standard.

1. Aves
   common name: Birds | Птицы rank: class

Prioksko-Terrasnyi Biosphere Reserve, Moscow Region, Central Russia, Oka river basin, Russia