LTERN Data Portal

Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network (Fauna): Nocturnal Spotlighting Survey, Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia, 2016

Citation

Gillespie, G (): Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network (Fauna): Nocturnal Spotlighting Survey, Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia, 2016. Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://www.ltern.org.au/knb/metacat/ltern.339.10/html

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Identifier
docid
ltern.339.10
Data Creators
Individual
Dr Graeme Gillespie
Position
Director of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Organization
Department of Land Resource Management, Northern Territory Government
Abstract

These data are records of all nocturnal spotlighting observations during the 2016 Litchfield survey. A total of 220 permanent monitoring plots were established between 1994-2002 across three parks (Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk) in the Top End of the Northern Territory, representing the Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network. A detailed flora and fauna survey has been conducted at each plot on a 5-6 year cycle to monitor biotic changes. Plots represent a variety of landforms and vegetation types. Litchfield National Park contains 40 plots. In 2016, 20 plots were surveyed for terrestrial vertebrate fauna using a range of survey methods. In addition, at all plots sampling also occurred at a second plot directly adjacent to the traditional plot. At each paired plot 2 x 15 minute surveys was conducted at night using head-torches, on any of the 4 nights available during the 4 day fauna survey period. The spotlight survey area encompassed the standard 50 x 50 m trapping grid and an additional 25 m around all sides. A synopsis of related data packages which have been collected as part of the Three Park Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network’s full program is provided at http://www.ltern.org.au/index.php/ltern-plot-networks/three-parks-savanna

Contacts for Questions on the Use and Interpretation of Data
Individual
Dr Graeme Gillespie
Position
Director of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Organization
Department of Land Resource Management, Northern Territory Government
Address
PO Box 496
Palmerston. Northern Territory 0831
Australia
Phone
voice
08 8995 5025
Email Address
graeme.gillespie@nt.gov.au
Individual
Dr Alaric Fisher
Organization
Flora & Fauna Division Department of Land Resource Management Northern Territory Government
Address
PO Box 496
Palmerston. Northern Territory 0831
Australia
Phone
voice
08 8995 5002
Email Address
alaric.fisher@nt.gov.au
Individual
Luke Einoder
Position
Scientist, Terrestrial Ecosystems, Flora and Fauna Division
Organization
Department of Land Resource Management
Address
PO Box 496
Palmerston. Northern Territory 0831
Project Information and Data Owners
Title
Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network
Personnel
Role
Data Owner
Organization
Northern Territory Government Department of Land Resource Management
Web Address
http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/
Role
Plot Network Leader (Fauna)
Individual
Dr Graeme Gillespie
Position
Director of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Organization
Department of Land Resource Management, Northern Territory Government
Role
Principal Investigator
Individual
Dr Alaric Fisher
Organization
Flora & Fauna Division Department of Land Resource Management Northern Territory Government
Funding

Since 2012 this project has been part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN). This work was supported by the Australian Government’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (www.tern.org.au) – an Australian research infrastructure facility established under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and Education Infrastructure Fund–Super Science Initiative through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

Methods and Sampling Information
Methods
Method Step 1
Description
Plot set-up

Litchfield National Park contains 40 plots, each with a paired plot located within 1 km of the primary plot.

Method Step 2
Description
Data collection

At each paired plot 2 x 15 minute surveys was conducted at night using head-torches, on any of the 4 nights available during the 4 day fauna survey period. Spotlighting survey area encompassed the standard 50 x 50 m trapping grid and an additional 25 m around all sides.

• Quadrats were actively searched for reptiles, amphibians, mammals, scats and other signs, especially arboreal mammals such as sugar gliders and possums, and nocturnal birds including owls, frogmouth and nightjars.

• The search involved moving rocks and logs, raking through leaf litter and vegetation, looking under bark or in rock crevices. Care was taken not to damage or destroy shelter sites (eg logs, bark, and vegetation) and any upturned rocks, logs etc were placed back in the same position.

• The number of individuals of each species seen was recorded on a data sheet along with the date and time of the survey.

Instrument
  • Binoculars and GPS
Sampling
Study Extent Description

Macropus antilopinus is now considered to be in the genus Osphranter, but these data use the name Macropus antilopinus for consistency with previous data sets.

Sampling Description

NA

Associated Parties
Role
Principal Investigator
Individual
Dr Alaric Fisher
Organization
Flora & Fauna Division Department of Land Resource Management Northern Territory Government
Role
Plot Network Leader (Fauna)
Individual
Dr Graeme Gillespie
Position
Director of Terrestrial Ecosystems
Organization
Department of Land Resource Management, Northern Territory Government
Role
Data Collector
Individual
Dr John Woinarski
Organization
Charles Darwin University
Role
Scientist
Individual
Luke Einoder
Position
Scientist, Terrestrial Ecosystems, Flora and Fauna Division
Organization
Department of Land Resource Management
Keywords and Subject Categories
GCMD
  • Earth Science > Biosphere > Terrestrial Ecosystems > Savannas
  • Earth Science > Biological Classification > Animals/Vertebrates
LTERN Monitoring Themes
  • Birds
  • Mammals
  • Herpetofauna
  • Invasive animals
ANZSRC-FOR
  • 0502
  • 0602
  • 0608
Keywords
  • Vertebrates
  • Nocturnal spotlighting
  • Litchfield National Park
Geographic Coverage
Geographic Description
Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia
Bounding Coordinates
West
130.68445 degrees
 
East
130.9701 degrees
 
North
-13.038 degrees
 
South
-13.52589 degrees
 
Temporal Coverage
Date
2016
Taxonomic Coverage and Classification
Classification
  • Species
    Aegotheles cristatus
  • Species
    Amalosia rhombifer
  • Species
    Antaresia childreni
  • Species
    Aspidites melanocephalus
  • Species
    Boiga irregularis
  • Species
    Bos taurus
  • Species
    Burhinus grallarius
  • Species
    Canis familiaris
  • Species
    Carlia amax
  • Species
    Carlia species
  • Species
    Coturnix ypsilophora
  • Species
    Crinia bilingua
  • Species
    Cryptoblepharus species
  • Species
    Dacelo leachii
  • Species
    Diporiphora bilineata
  • Species
    Eurostopodus argus
  • Species
    Gehyra australis
  • Species
    Gehyra koira
  • Species
    Gehyra nana
  • Species
    Gehyra species
  • Species
    Heteronotia binoei
  • Species
    Limnodynastes convexiusculus
  • Species
    Litoria bicolor
  • Species
    Litoria caerulea
  • Species
    Litoria inermis
  • Species
    Litoria nasuta
  • Species
    Litoria pallida
  • Species
    Litoria rubella
  • Species
    Litoria tornieri
  • Species
    Litoria watjulumensis
  • Species
    Macropus antilopinus
  • Species
    Myzomela obscura
  • Species
    Ninox connivens
  • Species
    Ninox novaeseelandiae
  • Species
    Oedura marmorata
  • Species
    Petaurus breviceps
  • Species
    Platyplectrum ornatus
  • Species
    Podargus strigoides
  • Species
    Pseudonaja nuchalis
  • Species
    Pteropus alecto
  • Species
    Pteropus species
  • Species
    Rhinella marina
  • Species
    Rhinonicteris aurantia
  • Species
    Strophurus ciliaris
Intellectual Rights, Licence and Usage Conditions

CC-BY-4_0 Special Conditions Users are required to contact the data provider (Graeme Gillespie) to discuss use of these data, including collaboration or co-authorship where appropriate. Users are also required to seek permission from Northern Territory Government Department of Land Resource to discuss use of all of these data packages, and Parks Australia prior to use of data packages from Kakadu National Park. Spatial coordinates for plots are available at http://www.ltern.org.au/knb/metacat/ltern6.93/html (Three Parks Savanna Fire-effects Plot Network: Plot Details - Spatial Coordinates, Northern Territory, Australia).

Data Table
tpsl_nocturnal_spotlighting_p732t971.csv
Name
tpsl_nocturnal_spotlighting_p732t971.csv
Attribute Information
id
Name
id
Definition
Observation identification number
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
species_id
Name
species_id
Definition
Species identification number
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
scientific_name
Name
scientific_name
Definition
Scientific name of observed species
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
common_name
Name
common_name
Definition
Common name of observed species
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
survey_site
Name
survey_site
Definition
Survey identification number
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
survey
Name
survey
Definition
Survey name
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Enumerated Domain
Code Definition
KAKADU
Kakadu National Park
LITCHFIELD
Litchfield National Park
NITMILUK
Nitmiluk National Park
site
Name
site
Definition
Site identification number
Measurement Type
nominal
Measurement Domain
Text Domain
Definition
Character
date
Name
date
Definition
Date of observation
Measurement Type
dateTime
Measurement Domain
Format
YYYY-MM-DD
Precision
0
abundance
Name
abundance
Definition
Species abundance
Measurement Type
ratio
Measurement Domain
Standard Unit
number
Number Type
whole
Number Of Records
147
Physical Structure Description
Object Name
tpsl_nocturnal_spotlighting_p732t971.csv
Size
13619 byte
Text Format
Number of Header Lines
1
Record Delimiter
#x0A
Attribute Orientation
column
Simple Delimited
Field Delimiter
,
Distribution
Online
URL
ltern.356.2
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[all] cn=submitters,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=pn_3parks_savanna_fauna,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=allusers,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
Access
Access Control
Auth System
knb
Order
allowFirst
Allow:
PermissionPrincipal
[read] public
[all] cn=submitters,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] cn=pn_3parks_savanna_fauna,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org