Field Data Sheets Research Articles

The RARCrec: A rapid riparian vegetation assessment method for use in river systems undergoing vegetative and geomorphic recovery

SummaryMonitoring the condition of returning vegetation over time is essential for effectively managing riparian vegetation. Rapid riparian assessment methods are standard tools for capturing a suite of variables relevant to river health and are accessible to a range of users with different levels of experience. Monitoring efforts are particularly important for rivers undergoing degrading impacts and subsequent management interventions. In coastal catchments of New South Wales, Australia, vegetation is returning to rivers that were historically cleared for agriculture and are now experiencing geomorphic recovery. We present a rapid riparian assessment method for rivers undergoing vegetative and geomorphic recovery in this region. It addresses a gap in available rapid assessments by providing a methodology that can be used at sites with no historical analogue. Our assessment method adapts and extends a widely used method called the Rapid Assessment of Riparian Condition (RARC) to capture the quality of returning riparian vegetation along recovering rivers (rec), including native species diversity and vegetation structure (hence the name RARCrec). The RARCrec incorporates four sub‐indices – vegetation cover, native species richness, proportion of native to exotic species, and features of vegetation health – to produce an overall vegetation condition score that classifies sites as poor, moderate, or good condition. Scores for each sub‐index are assessed for the vegetation strata (groundcover, graminoids, midstorey, vines, and canopy) on the landform units of river bars, benches, and floodplains. The RARCrec has been designed to be sufficiently general for use in the main Vegetation Formations in coastal New South Wales and has been trialled at 36 sites across this region. Assessments can be conducted within half a day by two technically competent users and can be used to monitor vegetation condition over time to inform where to prioritise implementation of management activities. Field methodology and data sheets, including a scoring system, are provided to support the implementation of the RARCrec.

Ethnobotanical Analysis of Medicinal Plants Used by Kani Tribals of Tirunelveli District (Tamil Nadu, India) in Treating Respiratory Diseases

IntroductionRespiratory diseases have gained the attention of the scientific community due to their prevalence among people, and the search for new therapeutic drugs from natural sources for treating such diseases is increasing. So, there is a need for documenting the folk medicinal practices used in treating various respiratory-related diseases. Therefore, the present study aimed to document the folk medicinal plant knowledge of the Kani tribes of Tirunelveli district with respect to respiratory diseases. MethodsA semistructured questionnaire and field data sheet were employed to collect the ethnobotanical data from 13 informants. The recorded data were quantitatively analysed using use value (UV), frequency of citation, percentage of use frequency, and family UV. ResultsA total of 70 plants distributed in 62 genera belonging to 40 families were recorded in the ethnobotanical survey. Lamiaceae was found as a dominant family with eight species, followed by Fabaceae (six species) and Rutaceae (five species). Ranunculaceae was recorded as the most important family with family UV of 1.0. The study has recorded herbs as the dominant life form and decoction as the most preferred formulation in treating respiratory diseases. Nine plant species were frequently used in treating respiratory diseases with UVs ranging from 0.92 to 1.0. ConclusionsThe recorded data analysed with quantitative indices indicate a high level of medicinal knowledge on the plants available in the study area. The provided ethnobotanical information might serve as a basis for pharmacological studies aimed at finding effective medications to treat respiratory and related diseases.

The suggestion for Biotope Types and Field Datasheet based on Habitat Ecological Characteristics by German Policy Analysis

The suggestion for Biotope Types and Field Datasheet based on Habitat Ecological Characteristics by German Policy Analysis

A national atlas of tsetse and African animal trypanosomosis in Mali

BackgroundTsetse-transmitted trypanosomosis is a deadly, neglected tropical disease and a major challenge for mixed crop-livestock agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. It is caused by several species of the genus Trypanosoma. Information on the occurrence of tsetse flies and African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) is available for different areas of Mali. However, these data have never been harmonized and centralized, which prevents the development of comprehensive epidemiological maps and constrains an evidence-based planning of control actions. To address this challenge, we created a dynamic geo-spatial database of tsetse and AAT distribution in Mali.MethodsA digital repository containing epidemiological data collected between 2000 and 2018 was assembled. In addition to scientific publications, the repository includes field datasheets, technical reports and other grey literature. The data were verified, harmonized, georeferenced and integrated into a single spatially-explicit database.ResultsFor the tsetse component, approximately 19,000 trapping records, corresponding to 6000 distinct trapping locations and 38,000 flies were included in the database. Glossina palpalis gambiensis was the most widespread and abundant species, and it was found in the southern, southern-central and western parts of the country. Glossina tachinoides was only found in the South. Only a few specimens of Glossina morsitans submorsitans were detected. For the AAT component, approximately 1000 survey records were included, corresponding to 450 distinct survey sites and 37,000 tested bovines. AAT was found in all surveyed regions, although data for the tsetse-free North and North-East are lacking. Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma congolense were the dominant species, while Trypanosoma brucei infections were much less numerous.ConclusionsThe atlas of tsetse and AAT in Mali provides a synoptic view of the vector and disease situation at the national level. Still, major geographical gaps affect the North, the North-East and the West, and there is also a severe lack of data over the past five years. Trypanosomosis remains a major animal health problem in Mali. However, despite its prevalence and distribution, monitoring and control activities are presently very limited. Efforts should be made to strengthen the progressive control of AAT in Mali, and the atlas provides a new tool to identify priority areas for intervention.

Three decades of annual growth, mortality, physical condition, and microsite for ten tropical rainforest tree species.

In lowland tropical rainforest, hundreds of tree species typically occur within mesoscale landscapes (50-500ha). There is no consensus ecological theory that accounts for the coexistence of so many species with similar morphologies and the same fundamental requirements of light, nutrients, water, and physical space. In part this is due to the limited understanding of post-establishment ecology for the vast majority of tropical tree species. Of even more concern is the lack of understanding of how these trees are responding to on-going atmospheric and climatic changes. Here we present long-term data on the post-establishment ecology of ten species of tropical rainforest trees that span a broad life-history spectrum. The study site was upland (non-swamp) old-growth tropical wet forest at the La Selva Biological Station (N.E. Costa Rica). Focal individuals from established seedlings to mature trees were assessed annually, with an emphasis on accuracy and long-term consistency of the observations. The annual time-step, rare for longterm studies in tropical rainforest, captures the typically abrupt changes in forest structure and light environments, the frequent instances of major physical damage, and the trees' responses to these events and to interannual and long-term climatic variation. With the completion of the study in 2016, the data for survivorship, growth, and microsite conditions span 4,499 individuals and 34yr. The first ten years of these data were published as an Ecology/Ecological Archives data paper in 2000 (Clark and Clark 2000), with two subsequent update publications (Clark and Clark 2006, 2012). This final update adds the final six years of observations, digitized field comments, and histories of points of measurement on the trees. The metadata now include the scanned original field data-sheets for the entire study and a narrative detailing the annual qa/qc of the data. The data set is unique for its scope (years of continuous annual measurements, number of monitored individuals), the in-depth documentation, and the unrestricted data access. The data have been used to study life history patterns, tree ecology through ontogeny, and effects on tree performance from interannual and long-term climatic and atmospheric change. They have also contributed to numerous remote-sensing studies. No copyright or proprietary restrictions are associated with the use of this data set other than citation of the paper; the authors believe scientific data should be freely available for scientific use. The authors would appreciate notification of when and how data are used, but this is discretionary on the part of the data users and is in no sense mandatory.

Intra – Urban Traffic Characteristics of Ikot Ekpene – An Emerging Urban Centre in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

In recent years, many municipal authorities in the developing region of the world have been grappling with traffic related challenges such as increasing rates of traffic accidents and traffic confusion along the major urban roads and streets of their municipalities. There are needs for efficient transportation system to enhance safe and smooth movements of people and goods within the municipalities. This cannot be achieved without rational planning decisions and rational planning decisions cannot be attained without the basic understanding of materials. The materials for transportation planning include not only the physical ways and the vehicles with which people and goods move about but also the volume and characteristics of traffic. The knowledge of these essential materials was lacking in Ikot Ekpene – an emerging urban centre in Akwa Ibom State. The aim of the study was to ascertain the volume and characteristics of traffic in the city. Data were generated through the manual traffic count at three (3) traffic cordon points (TCP) carefully determined. The survey was conducted simultaneously at the three traffic cordon points. Traffic data were generated on the different week day during the hours of 8am – 5pm at hourly intervals. A total of 189 field data sheets were completed and returned and used in the analysis. The traffic was categorized under: (i) Pedestrian, (ii) Bicycle, (iii) Motor cycle, (iv) Tricycle, (v) Buses and Cars, (vi) Heavy duty and trucks. The study revealed the dominance of motorcycle in the traffic flow with a total weekly volume of 49292 (69.94%), followed by Buses and cars 14324 (20.32%); Pedestrian 5504 (7.8%); Heavy duty vehicles/trucks 1221 (1.73%); Tricycle 70 (0%); and Bicycle 69(0%). Limiting the operation of commercial motorcyclists, construction of bye-passes, relocation of public and private commercial motor parks and upgrading of the existing urban roads and streets to provide the pedestrian walk ways were recommended .

Monitoring Populations of Saxifraga cespitosa in Scotland

Saxifraga cespitosa is listed as Endangered on the UK Red List, compiled using IUCN criteria (Cheffings & Farrell, 2005). It is also one of the species listed for conservation priority at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) under Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). The species has been monitored extensively in the past, but there have been limited surveys in recent years. RBGE and the National Botanic Garden of Wales plan to survey all the UK locations of this species to increase information on existing populations and the threats to its survival. The field work and surveys carried out in 2013 are described in this paper and they have proved to be a useful learning experience for developing both staff skills and survey methods. Information on cultivation of the species from seed is also given. A field data sheet is provided as an appendix.

Development and application of deformation monitoring system for lanslide at Funchunjiang Dam

Under the background of the landslide deformation monitoring of the left mountainside at Fuchunjiang Dam, we developed an automatic Landslide Deformation Monitoring System (LDMS) based on the TCA2003 surveying robot. Our LDMS extended the applications of TCA2003 in deformation monitoring by using GEOCOM serial-port functions. The system has the following features: automatic multiple observation sets measuring, automatic field data sheets generating, hydrograph plotting and deformation analysing. The new system had been developed and implemented under the environment of Visual C++ 6·0. The system has simpler operations and stronger practical applicability, compared with previous landslide deformation monitor methods. Based on analysis of the coordinates of Leftpt point on the sliding mass of left mountainside on Fuchunjiang Dam, displacement occurred in recent years, the whole monitoring of the sliding mass is essential. The analysis of the data achieved by LDMS showed that the sliding mass had no clear uniform deformation, and each part of the sliding mass was noticeably different in the slipping speed in the landslide direction. Hence, regular monitoring is essential to prevent the sliding mass from local landslides.

The distribution of eared horse mussel, Modiolus auriculatus (KRAUSS, 1848) along the Red Sea coast of Egypt

A study on the ecology of the mussel Modiolus auriculatus that inhabits the inter-tidal rocky substrate of Hurghada area at the Red Sea coast of Egypt was carried out. A coastal survey had taken place during the period from February 2011 to January 2012; it covered the area between Ras Gharib (150km. North Hurghada City), of lat. 28° 21′ 43′′ and long. 33° 05′ 47′, and South El-Quseir of lat. 26° 05′ 53′′ and long. 34° 17′ 50′′. Eighteen sites were studied, and the surveyed species, M. auriculatus, was recorded in five stations out of those 18. The results of the survey also showed that the total number of individuals recorded at the station was 12,533 in five sites (Marine Biology station (NIOF), South El-Quseir, El-Quseir Harbor, North El-Quseir and Mangrove South Safaga); of which 12,133 of them were alive and 400 were dead. The examination of the field data sheets revealed that M. auriculatus was recorded at different types of habitats during the survey, and that each of these habitats had unique characters.

Use of Standardized Visual Assessments of Riparian and Stream Condition to Manage Riparian Bird Habitat in Eastern Oregon

The importance of riparian vegetation to support stream function and provide riparian bird habitat in semiarid landscapes suggests that standardized assessment tools that include vegetation criteria to evaluate stream health could also be used to assess habitat conditions for riparian-dependent birds. We first evaluated the ability of two visual assessments of woody vegetation in the riparian zone (corridor width and height) to describe variation in the obligate riparian bird ensemble along 19 streams in eastern Oregon. Overall species richness and the abundances of three species all correlated significantly with both, but width was more important than height. We then examined the utility of the riparian zone criteria in three standardized and commonly used rapid visual riparian assessment protocols--the USDI BLM Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) assessment, the USDA NRCS Stream Visual Assessment Protocol (SVAP), and the U.S. EPA Habitat Assessment Field Data Sheet (HAFDS)--to assess potential riparian bird habitat. Based on the degree of correlation of bird species richness with assessment ratings, we found that PFC does not assess obligate riparian bird habitat condition, SVAP provides a coarse estimate, and HAFDS provides the best assessment. We recommend quantitative measures of woody vegetation for all assessments and that all protocols incorporate woody vegetation height. Given that rapid assessments may be the only source of information for thousands of kilometers of streams in the western United States, incorporating simple vegetation measurements is a critical step in evaluating the status of riparian bird habitat and provides a tool for tracking changes in vegetation condition resulting from management decisions.

Spatial and temporal distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in a Southeastern Brazilian river

Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages are structured according to physical and chemical parameters that define microhabitats, including food supply, shelter to escape predators, and other biological parameters that influence reproductive success. The aim of this study is to investigate spatial and temporal distribution of macroinvertebrate assemblages at the Macaé river basin, in Rio de Janeiro state, Southeastern Brazil. According to the "Habitat Assessment Field Data Sheet--High Gradient Streams" (Barbour et al., 1999), the five sampling sites are considered as a reference condition. Despite the differences in hydrological parameters (mean width, depth and discharge) among sites, the physicochemical parameters and functional feeding groups' general structure were similar, except for the less impacted area, which showed more shredders. According to the Detrended Correspondence Analysis based on substrates, there is a clear distinction between pool and riffle assemblages. In fact, the riffle litter substrate had higher taxa in terms of richness and abundance, but the pool litter substrate had the greatest number of exclusive taxa. A Cluster Analysis based on sampling sites data showed that temporal variation was the main factor in structuring macroinvertebrate assemblages in the studied habitats.

LEDA: A flexible codification system for computer-based files of geological field data

The LEDA system, developed for the codification of field data and information, is user, machine, and geology oriented. It is used to codify stratigraphic and morphologic data required in mapping Quaternary deposits. Flexibility in the system is achieved by the selection of distinct types of data as units of data collection, which are reported on six type-cards extending the length of an 80-column punchcard. These type-cards are (1) Location, (2) Stratigraphic Unit, (3) Composition, (4) Orientation (5) Commentary, and (6) Stratigraphic Measurement. The type-cards are reproduced on pocket-size field data sheets in the following order; (1) one card for the location and one card for the description of a unit; (2) two cards for the description of units; (3) three cards for composition or orientation data; (4) four cards for commentary; and (5) two cards for stratigraphic measurements. There is an additional field sheet provided for diagrams and polaroid photos, the information of which is not codifiable. In the field, the sheets are placed in a loose-leaf binder with a flipout chart containing the code. The link between the type-cards making up a station file is provided by the field station code which occurs on each card in the data file but is reported only once on each field sheet. The filling out of the location card is obligatory for any particular station, whereas the other cards may be used in any order or number according to the type and length of information sought.

Data Storage and Processing in Geological Mapping

Abstract A computer-oriented field data sheet for the recording and processing of geological field observations has been developed and tested. Records on the data sheet are transcribed onto punch cards for ultimate storage, retrieval and automatic processing in a geological data bank. The field data sheet and attached charts are primarily designed for mapping in igneous and metamorphic terrains.

A COMPUTER-ORIENTED FIELD SHEET FOR STRUCTURAL DATA

A computer-oriented field data sheet for the efficient recording and processing of structural data has been developed and tested in the field. Although primarily designed for a specific project in the Precambrian Shield, it should be suitable, with only minor modifications, for other Precambrian areas.