North Coast and Cascades Network consolidated amphibian database (1984-2005)

Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
North Coast and Cascades Network consolidated amphibian database (1984-2005)
Abstract:
This data set is an amalgamation of twenty-nine original data sets, which represent amphibian surveys in the seven Parks comprising the North Coast and Cascades Network of the National Park Service. The data were collected from 1984-2005, and include the localities of 19 species of amphibians at various life stages, 18 native to the Pacific Northwest and one invasive species. UTM coordinates are all in Zone 10, and all were collected using NAD1927 datum.
Supplemental_Information:
Dataset was compiled using legacy data sets from member parks of the North Coast and Cascades Network of the National Park Service. These datasets were provided via e-mail attachments from data managers and other personnel at the parks.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Dr. Michael J. Adams, Unpublished Material, North Coast and Cascades Network consolidated amphibian database (1984-2005).

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.83
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -120.92
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 49
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 46.13
    Description_of_Geographic_Extent:
    Dataset was compiled using legacy data sets from member parks of the North Coast and Cascades Network of the National Park Service in western Washington and northwest Oregon - Ebey's Landing NHR, Fort Vancouver NHR, Lewis & Clark NSHP, Mount Rainier NP, North Cascades NP, Olympic NP, and San Juan Island NHP.

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: 1984
    Ending_Date: 2005
    Currentness_Reference: dates of compiled databases

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: MS Access Database

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    NCCN consolidated amphibian database 1984-2005 v1.mdb
    MS Access database (Source: Microsoft)

    AltSiteName
    Additional name given to a particular site

    Unbounded list of alternate site names

    CommonName
    Name by which the amphibian is commonly referred

    Unbounded list of amphibian common names

    Count
    Count of the number of individuals at a particular species-stage

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:unknown maximum

    Unbounded list of capture counts

    Date
    Date on which survey took place

    Date field (dd/mm/yyyy)

    Detection
    How the animal was detected

    Unbounded list of detection methods

    Elevation
    Elevation of sample location

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:3000
    Units:meters

    Genus
    Generic name of the amphibian

    list of amphibian genera

    LifeStage
    Standardized life stage designation

    ValueDefinition
    adult 
    egg or egg mass 
    hatchling 
    juvenile 
    L/Mlarva or metamorph
    larva 
    M/Ametamorph or adult
    N/M 
    paedomorph 
    T/Mtadpole or metamorph
    tadpole 
    unknown 

    Notes
    Any notes relevant to this record

    Unbounded list of text associated with record

    OldLifeStage
    Original life stage designation

    Unbounded list of unformatted, amphibian life stages

    Park
    National Park in which species was detected

    list of national park names

    ParkCode
    Four-letter code used by the National Park Service to identify individual Park entities

    ValueDefinition
    EBLAEbey's Landing NHR
    FOVAFort Vancouver NHR
    LEWILewis & Clark NSHP-Cape Disappointment SP, Fort Clatsop NM, or Sunset Beach SP
    MORAMount Rainier NP
    NOCANorth Cascades NP Service Complex (includes North Cascades NP and Ross Lake NRA)
    OLYMOlympic NP
    SAJHSan Juan Island NHP

    Program
    Funding program under which survey was conducted

    ValueDefinition
    ARMIAmphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
    I&MInventory and Monitoring
    INCAIncidental sampling
    NCCN InventoryNorth Coast and Cascades Network Inventory
    NRPPNatural Resources Preservation Program
    Old Growth Inventory 
    Park Inventory 
    Park Surveys 
    PRIMENetPark Research and Intensive Monitoring of Ecosystems Network
    SCLSeattle City Light
    SCL/NOCASeattle City Light/North Cascades
    THERPTerrestrial herp sampling

    RecordID
    Autonumber assigned to each record

    Unbounded list of unique identifiers

    ScientificName
    Full scientific name of the amphibian

    list of amphibian scientific names

    SiteName
    Name or identification number of site at which species was detected (if available)

    Unbounded list of site names

    SourceContact
    Person/entity associated with the source database

    Unbounded list of contributors

    SourceDb
    Database from which species record originated

    Unbounded list of databases

    Species
    Specific name of the amphibian

    list of amphibian specific names

    SpeciesCode
    Four-letter code consisting of the first two letters of the genus and species of the animal detected.

    ValueDefinition
    AMGRAmbystoma gracile (northwestern salamander)
    AMMAAmbystoma macrodactylum (long-toed salamander)
    AMSPAmbystoma sp. (unidentified Ambystomatid salamander)
    AMSPPAmbystoma spp. (unidentified Ambystomatid salamander)
    ASTRAscaphus truei (tailed frog)
    BUBOBufo boreas (western toad)
    DICODicamptodon copei (Cope's giant salamander)
    DITEDicamptodon tenebrosus (Pacific giant salamander)
    DIXXDicamptodon sp. (unidentified Dicamptodon salamander)
    ENESEnsatina eschscholtzii (ensatina)
    HYREHyla regilla (Pacific treefrog)
    PLDUPlethodon dunni (Dunn's salamander)
    PLLAPlethodon larselli (Larch Mountain salamander)
    PLVAPlethodon vandykei (Van Dyke's salamander)
    PLVEPlethodon vehiculum (western red-backed salamander)
    PSREPseudacris regilla (Pacific treefrog)
    RAAURana aurora (red-legged frog)
    RACARana cascadae (Cascades frog)
    RACASRana cascadae (Cascades frog)
    RACATRana catesbeiana (bullfrog)
    RALURana luteiventris (Columbia spotted frog)
    RANARana spp. (unidentified Ranid frog)
    RASPRana sp. (unidentified Ranid frog)
    RASPRana spp. (unidentified Ranid frog)
    RASPPRana sp. (unidentified Ranid frog)
    RASPPRana spp. (unidentified Ranid frog)
    RHKERhyacotriton kezeri (Columbia torrent salamander)
    RHOLRhyacotriton olympicus (Olympic torrent salamander)
    TAGRTaricha granulosa (rough-skinned newt)

    SurveyType
    Type of survey conducted

    ValueDefinition
    lotic 
    lentic 
    seep 
    terrestrial 
    mixed 

    UTME
    UTM X-coordinate (easting) of species detection

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:1000000
    Units:meters

    UTMerror
    Error associated with UTM coordinates

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:unknown maximum
    Units:meters

    UTMN
    UTM Y-coordinate (northing) of species detection

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:unknown max
    Units:meters

    Voucher
    Were voucher specimens collected?

    ValueDefinition
    yes 
    no 
    unknown 

  8. What biological taxa does this data set concern?

    Taxonomy:
    Keywords/Taxon:
    Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
    Taxonomic_Keywords: Amphibian
    Taxonomic_Keywords: frog
    Taxonomic_Keywords: toad
    Taxonomic_Keywords: salamander
    Taxonomic_Keywords: newt
    Taxonomic_Keywords: Anura
    Taxonomic_Keywords: caudata
    Taxonomic_System:
    Classification_System/Authority:
    Classification_System_Citation:
    Citation_Information:
    Originator:
    Crother, Brian I., Jeff Boundy, Jonathan A. Campbell, Kevin De Queiroz, Darrel R. Frost, Richard Highton, John B. Iverson, Peter A. Meylan, Tod W. Reeder, Michael E. Seidel, Jack W. Sites Jr., Travis W. Taggart, Stephen G.Tilley, and David B.Wake
    Publication_Date: 2001
    Title:
    Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: circular
    Publication_Information:
    Publication_Place: Lawrence, Kansas
    Publisher: Society for the study of amphibians and reptiles
    Taxonomic_Procedures: No standardized taxonomic procedures were employed.
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Animalia
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Phylum
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Chordata
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Subphylum
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Vertebrata
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Class
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Amphibia
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Subclass
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Lissamphibia
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Order
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Caudata
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ambystomatidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ambystoma
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ambystoma gracile
    Applicable_Common_Name: Northwestern Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ambystoma macrodactylum
    Applicable_Common_Name: Long-toed Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Dicamptodontidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Dicamptodon
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Dicamptodon copei
    Applicable_Common_Name: Cope's Giant Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Dicamptodon tenebrosus
    Applicable_Common_Name: Giant Salamander
    Applicable_Common_Name: Pacific Giant Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodontidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Subfamily
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodontinae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ensatina
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ensatina eschscholtzii
    Applicable_Common_Name: Ensatina
    Applicable_Common_Name: Salamandra ensantina
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodon
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodon dunni
    Applicable_Common_Name: Dunn's Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodon larselli
    Applicable_Common_Name: Larch Mountain Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodon vandykei
    Applicable_Common_Name: Van Dyke's Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Plethodon vehiculum
    Applicable_Common_Name: Western Red-backed Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rhyacotritonidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rhyacotriton
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rhyacotriton kezeri
    Applicable_Common_Name: Columbia Torrent Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rhyacotriton olympicus
    Applicable_Common_Name: Olympic Salamander
    Applicable_Common_Name: Olympic Torrent Salamander
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Salamandridae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Taricha
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Taricha granulosa
    Applicable_Common_Name: Rough-skinned Newt
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Superorder
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Salientia
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Order
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Anura
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ascaphidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ascaphus
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ascaphus truei
    Applicable_Common_Name: Coastal Tailed Frog
    Applicable_Common_Name: Tailed Frog
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Bufonidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Bufo
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Bufo boreas
    Applicable_Common_Name: Sapo del Oeste
    Applicable_Common_Name: Western Toad
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Hylidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Subfamily
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Hylinae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Pseudacris
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Pseudacris regilla
    Applicable_Common_Name: Pacific Chorus Frog
    Applicable_Common_Name: Pacific Treefrog
    Applicable_Common_Name: Rana-de coro del pacífico
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Ranidae
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rana
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rana aurora
    Applicable_Common_Name: Rana pata roja
    Applicable_Common_Name: Red-legged Frog
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rana cascadae
    Applicable_Common_Name: Cascades Frog
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rana catesbeiana
    Applicable_Common_Name: American Bullfrog
    Applicable_Common_Name: Bullfrog
    Applicable_Common_Name: Rana toro
    Applicable_Common_Name: ouaouaron
    Taxonomic_Classification:
    Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
    Taxon_Rank_Value: Rana luteiventris
    Applicable_Common_Name: Columbia Spotted Frog


Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    Barbara Samora of Mount Rainier National Park provided coordination, data base, field and funding assistance.

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Galvan, Stephanie
    US Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
    Biological Science Technician
    Corvallis Research Group
    3200 SW Jefferson Way
    Corvallis, OR 97331

    (541) 750-7277 (voice)


Why was the data set created?

The North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN) of the National Park Service has expended a significant effort over the past decade to gather data on its unique amphibian resources, but this information is spread over multiple databases and reports among the parks. This makes it difficult to access comprehensive information on amphibians for the network or even for individual parks. Because of pronounced amphibian declines in protected areas in the west, it is highly desirable to consolidate this information so that it can be used to assess amphibian status, as a baseline for monitoring, and as a resource for park management activities.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: 2005 (process 1 of 1)
    Data sets were submitted by data managers and scientists via e-mail. Data sets were subsequently reviewed for appropriate data. Data were re-formatted and inserted into the consolidated database.

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?


How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    No tests for attibute accuracy were conducted.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Species codes that were unidentifiable in the original data set (probably due to typographical errors) were excluded. Records of non-amphibians were excluded.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Grouping queries were written to examine the proper spelling and standardization of all text fields. Range queries were written to confirm that numerical values were not outside a reasonable range for a particular field. Bounding dates were confirmed as correct. The raw databases were reviewed to confirm that the data had been pulled correctly. Duplicate entries were eliminated when possible.


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints:
The National Park Service has a legal responsibility to protect information associated with threatened, endangered, and Species of Concern. As such, specific geographic coordinates noted in this database will not be released without the permission of the National Park Service.
Use_Constraints: Used with permission of the National Park Service


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 29-Aug-2005
Last Reviewed: 05-Sep-2005
Metadata author:
USGS Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC)
U.S. Geological Survey
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
777 NW 9th St., Suite 400
Corvallis, Oregon 97330
USA

(541) 750-1030 (voice)

Metadata standard:
FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001.1-1999)


Generated by mp version 2.8.10 on Wed Apr 12 11:07:34 2006