EDP Foz-Tua: Small Mammals - Complementary Studies [2010] & Monitoring Ecological Program [2011]

Description

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 296 records.

1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Cabral J A, Barros P, Vale-Gonçalves H M, Bastos R, Santos R, Múrias, T (2019): EDP Foz-Tua: Small Mammals - Complementary Studies [2010] & Monitoring Ecological Program [2011]. v1. EDP - Energias de Portugal. Dataset/Samplingevent. http://ipt.gbif.pt/ipt/resource?r=tua_small_mammals_ec43&v=1.0

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is EDP - Energias de Portugal. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 1134ee3f-56a1-4c58-b1ff-d2a8ddb2cbc1.  EDP - Energias de Portugal publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Portugal.

Keywords

Small mammals; occurrence; observations; captures; Sherman traps; Rodentia; Eulipotyphla

Contacts

Geographic Coverage

The data were collected within a 5-km buffer around the valley of the River Tua (Northeast Portugal),up to 50 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Carrazeda de Ansiães, Alijó, Murça, Vila Flor and Mirandela.

Taxonomic Coverage

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset spans 1 phylum, 1 class, 2 orders, 7 families, 8 genera and 10 species.

Temporal Coverage

Project Data

The dataset contains records of small mammals (Rodentia and Eulipotyphla) collected in plots along the lower Tua River valley and in Ferradosa stream (Douro sub-basin), included in the Complementary Studies of the Environmental Impact Assessment (2010) and in the Ecological Monitoring Program (2011) of the Foz Tua Hydroelectric Dam, promoted by EDP – Energias de Portugal, S.A. Data were collected between February and December 2010 (Complementary Studies) and October 2011 (Ecological Monitoring Program), during field visits carried out, respectively, in 29 and 18 sampling points with favourable habitats for small mammals (fallows, cork oak woodlands, bushes, riverine, abandoned orchards, reed beds, juniper woodlands, chestnut woodlands), within a 5-km buffer around the lower Tua River valley. The occurrence of the target taxa was documented through 319 observation/capture events in 47 sampling points. In total, 12 taxa were identified, of which 10 to the species rank and two to the genus rank. The most abundant species were Mus spretus (126 observation/capture events), Apodemus sylvaticus (94), and Crocidura russula (22).

The personnel involved in the project:

Sampling Methods

Sampling was designed to cover the main habitat types for small mammals (fallows, cork-oak woodlands, bushes, riverine, abandoned orchards, reedbeds, juniper woodlands, chestnut woodlands) in and around the lower Tua valley affected by the Foz-Tua dam and in the Ferradosa stream (Douro sub-basin). Each sampling plot was visited once during three consecutive days between February-March and October-December 2010 (Complementary Studies) or October 2011 (Ecological Monitoring Program). In January-February of 2010 a total of 29 sampling points were established in the framework of the Complementary Studies of the Foz-Tua dam to provide a preliminary assessment of the small mammal fauna in the area. These plots served as a baseline for the sampling grid of the Ecological Monitoring Program of this group, which was tested in October-November 2010, with 19 points (of which 14 were effectively used) set in a 2x2 km UTM grid (one plot per square) centered in the lower Tua River valley in the area affected by the dam. Based on the results of this experience, a final grid of 19 sampling plots (of which 17 were effectively used) was established in each 2x2 km square (and in three additional points located in the Ferradosa stream), in October 2011. Each plot was selected in function of its habitat suitability for small mammals, and a preliminary inspection looking for signs of the presence of small mammals (tracks, feces, latrines) was performed. When this inspection was positive, the information was recorded and the plot was earmarked for a capture session. Each capture session consisted in the installation of lines of 25 “Sherman” traps distributed every 2-5 m in open areas and 15 m in closed habitats (e.g., bushes and woodlands), covering the maximum number of suitable habitats in the sampling plot. Traps remained set for three days and three consecutive nights and during their activation period they were baited with apple, carrot and commercial cat food (for Soricidae) and were covered with vegetation carded cotton, to provide food and thermal comfort for captured individuals, respectively. Each trap was controlled at least twice a day (one in the morning and another in the late afternoon). All the captured specimens were administered with light volatile ethyl ether anesthesia, to ensure a correct and safe manipulation procedure. Each specimen was individually assigned a temporary marking (haircut), aiming to recognize the animal in the event of a recapture situation, aged and sexed (with the exception of shrews when non-lactating), measured and subsequently released. The following biometric parameters were taken: body length, tail length, hind leg length, ear length and weight. All identifications were made with appropriate keys (Gonçalves, 2006) and field guides (Blanco, 1998). The captures were carried out under the License No 378/2010 / CAPT, issued on October 26 2010, by the Institute of Nature and Forests Conservation (ICNF) to the senior field technician.

Method step description:

1. To be completed

Bibliographic Citations

1. Gonçalves, H. (2006). Inventariação e caracterização dos micromamíferos no Parque Natural do Alvão. Relatório final de estágio da Licenciatura em Ecologia Aplicada. Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real. 104p.
2. Blanco, J. 1998. Mamíferos de España. Insectívoros, Quirópteros, Primates y Carnívoros de la Península Ibérica, Baleares y Canarias. Vol. I. Editorial Planeta. Barcelona

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