AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Plant Phenology - Quttinirpaaq

Climate change, especially changes in spring temperatures and the timing of snow melt, can affect the phenology of Arctic plants. Shifts in plant phenology may alter plant-pollinator interactions and nutrient availability for herbivores, if these animals do not respond similarly to climatic changes. The phenology of two tundra plant species, Mountain Avens (Dryas integrifolia) and Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), are monitored in Quttinirpaaq National Park near Tanquary Fiord following an International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) field protocol. Approximately every three days, 25 plants (or plant patches depending on the size of the plant) of each species that were randomly selected in the first year of monitoring and are replaced as needed (e.g., plants that die or are destroyed by trampling), are counted for their number of buds, flowers, and flowers that have reached maturity (i.e., when all petals have dropped or wilted). The monitoring begins after the opening of camp (typically early June) and goes until all flowers have reached the last phenophase. The peak flower days for each plant (based on the flower counts) are averaged to determine the annual average peak flower day, which is used to assess whether the flowering phenology of Mountain Avens and Purple Saxifrage is changing over time. Annual average peak flower days were not calculated for years where the peak flower was likely missed (due to late start date) or for years where 2 or more monitoring days were missed around the peak flower. The monitoring protocol was updated in 2016 to aid observers in distinguishing between the phenophases and ensure that all observers have the same understanding of the plant/plant patch boundaries throughout the monitoring season.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Tree Health - Thousand Islands 

Park staff visually evaluate tree health within 20m x 20m forest plots in August each year. Plots are rotated every 5 years (6 plots/year) and monitored according to term Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) Protocols and Standards. Crown condition, diameter at breast height, and stem defects are used as indicators of tree health to help identify the symptoms of tree and forest decline.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Deer Browse - Spring - Thousand Islands

Browse surveys occur in early spring and are conducted by park staff. Each plot is composed of nine circular subplots (2-m radius) in a 3 x 3 grid, spaced at 15 m intervals. Browse pressure of woody species 30 cm – 2 m tall is assessed visually. Seedling recruitment is correlated with herbivore abundance and provides an efficient method to assess browse pressure in forest ecosystems.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Deer Browse - Summer Woody - Thousand Islands

Browse surveys occur yearly in July-August and are conducted by park staff. Each plot is composed of nine circular subplots (2-m radius) in a 3 x 3 grid, spaced at 15 m intervals. The number of seedlings (5 – 30 cm) and saplings (30 – 200 cm) of each tree species are counted. Seedling recruitment is correlated with herbivore abundance and provides an efficient method to assess browse pressure in forest ecosystems.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Deer Browse - Summer Herbaceous - Thousand Islands

Browse surveys occur yearly in July-August and are conducted by park staff. Each plot is composed of nine circular subplots (2-m radius) in a 3 x 3 grid, spaced at 15 m intervals. Percent cover of priority invasive species, as well as leeks, ferns, grasses and bare ground are assessed visually.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Wetland Invasive Alien Plants - Thousand Islands

Park staff monitor invasive wetland plants at marsh monitoring sites in May-June each year (8 plots/year).  In each wetland, pairs of 1 m x 1 m quadrats placed 2 m apart are sampled along 3 transects at 5 and 15 meters in wet meadow, emergent and submergent vegetation zones. The percent cover is recorded within each quadrat for 10 exotic invasive plant species including European Common Reed, European Frogbit and Purple Loosestrife.


Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Shrub cover-Vuntut

Tundra is an important ecosystem in Vuntut National Park. It covers approximately 56% of the park and is used extensively by the Porcupine Caribou Herd during it’s spring and fall migrations. The Porcupine Caribou Herd is critically important to the Vuntut Gwitchin and protecting portions of the herd’s spring and fall migration habitat was one of the main reasons for the creation of Vuntut National Park. There is evidence that a warming climate is changing Arctic vegetation. These changes include an increase the cover and height of shrubs, changes the timing of vegetation green-up and senscense, and an incease in the number of growing degree days. A monitoring program is needed to determine if changes in tundra vegetation documented in other regions of the Arctic are taking place in Vuntut National Park.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Permafrost - Tundra -Vuntut

Permafrost and snow are critical to the ecology of many northern ecosystems. They influence hydrology and vegetation and can dramatically affect the quality of wildlife habitat. In recent decades permafrost temperatures in North America have increased and snowfall and spring snow cover in the Arctic have declined. These trends are predicted to continue, although with regional and seasonal variability. Vuntut National Park lies within the continuous permafrost zone, and permafrost has been found to a depth of 63 m at the Village of Old Crow. Snow covers the ground in the park for much of the year with depth varying from year to year. Monitoring changes in permafrost and snow in Vuntut National Park is needed because ground-based data from the northern Yukon are lacking and because changes in permafrost and snow have the potential to dramatically change the park’s landscape and ecology.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Lake hydrology-Vuntut

Recent observations suggest that shallow lakes and ponds in the Arctic are becoming increasingly dynamic in response to climate change, and changes in water levels, lake surface area, and biological communities have been observed at several high-latitude locations. The Old Crow Flats, located 25 km north of Old Crow in the northern Yukon, is a Wetland of International Importance recognized by the Ramsar Convention. Portions of the Old Crow Flats are protected by Vuntut National Park and the Old Crow Flats Special Management Area. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has observed reduced lake levels over the past few decades and are concerned about how the changing landscape may affect the ecology of the region and their traditional lifestyle. Hydroecological monitoring methods were developed for Old Crow Flats lakes through a recent International Polar Year project. These methods use water isotope tracers and periphyton to assess changes in lake water balance and algae communities, which are sensitive measures of hydrological and ecological conditions.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Permafrost - Wetlands -Vuntut

Permafrost and snow are critical to the ecology of many northern ecosystems. They influence hydrology and vegetation and can dramatically affect the quality of wildlife habitat. In recent decades permafrost temperatures in North America have increased and snowfall and spring snow cover in the Arctic have declined. These trends are predicted to continue, although with regional and seasonal variability. Vuntut National Park lies within the continuous permafrost zone, and permafrost has been found to a depth of 63 m at the Village of Old Crow. Snow covers the ground in the park for much of the year with depth varying from year to year. Monitoring changes in permafrost and snow in Vuntut National Park is needed because ground-based data from the northern Yukon are lacking and because changes in permafrost and snow have the potential to dramatically change the park’s landscape and ecology.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Lake periphyton-Vuntut

Recent observations suggest that shallow lakes and ponds in the Arctic are becoming increasingly dynamic in response to climate change, and changes in water levels, lake surface area, and biological communities have been observed at several high-latitude locations. The Old Crow Flats, located 25 km north of Old Crow in the northern Yukon, is a Wetland of International Importance recognized by the Ramsar Convention. Portions of the Old Crow Flats are protected by Vuntut National Park and the Old Crow Flats Special Management Area. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has observed reduced lake levels over the past few decades and are concerned about how the changing landscape may affect the ecology of the region and their traditional lifestyle. Hydroecological monitoring methods were developed for Old Crow Flats lakes through a recent International Polar Year project. These methods use water isotope tracers and periphyton to assess changes in lake water balance and algae communities, which are sensitive measures of hydrological and ecological conditions.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Growing degree days-Vuntut

Tundra is an important ecosystem in Vuntut National Park. It covers approximately 56% of the park and is used extensively by the Porcupine Caribou Herd during it’s spring and fall migrations. The Porcupine Caribou Herd is critically important to the Vuntut Gwitchin and protecting portions of the herd’s spring and fall migration habitat was one of the main reasons for the creation of Vuntut National Park. There is evidence that a warming climate is changing Arctic vegetation. These changes include an increase the cover and height of shrubs, changes the timing of vegetation green-up and senscense, and an incease in the number of growing degree days. A monitoring program is needed to determine if changes in tundra vegetation documented in other regions of the Arctic are taking place in Vuntut National Park.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Snow Cover Duration - Tundra - Vuntut

Permafrost and snow are critical to the ecology of many northern ecosystems. They influence hydrology and vegetation and can dramatically affect the quality of wildlife habitat. In recent decades permafrost temperatures in North America have increased and snowfall and spring snow cover in the Arctic have declined. These trends are predicted to continue, although with regional and seasonal variability. Vuntut National Park lies within the continuous permafrost zone, and permafrost has been found to a depth of 63 m at the Village of Old Crow. Snow covers the ground in the park for much of the year with depth varying from year to year. Monitoring changes in permafrost and snow in Vuntut National Park is needed because ground-based data from the northern Yukon are lacking and because changes in permafrost and snow have the potential to dramatically change the park’s landscape and ecology.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Porcupine Caribou Herd-population size-Vuntut

The Porcupine Caribou Herd is a population of barren-ground caribou whose range includes the northern Yukon, Alaska and the Northwest Territories. It is one of the largest caribou herds in North America. The Porcupine Caribou Herd is critically important to the Vuntut Gwitchin, and protecting portions of the herd’s spring and fall migration habitat was one of the main reasons for creating Vuntut National Park.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Snow Cover Duration - Wetlands - Vuntut

Permafrost and snow are critical to the ecology of many northern ecosystems. They influence hydrology and vegetation and can dramatically affect the quality of wildlife habitat. In recent decades permafrost temperatures in North America have increased and snowfall and spring snow cover in the Arctic have declined. These trends are predicted to continue, although with regional and seasonal variability. Vuntut National Park lies within the continuous permafrost zone, and permafrost has been found to a depth of 63 m at the Village of Old Crow. Snow covers the ground in the park for much of the year with depth varying from year to year. Monitoring changes in permafrost and snow in Vuntut National Park is needed because ground-based data from the northern Yukon are lacking and because changes in permafrost and snow have the potential to dramatically change the park’s landscape and ecology.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Peregrine falcon nesting site occupancy-Vuntut

Peregrine falcons are found in many regions of the northern Yukon including Vuntut National Park. These birds have the important role of top predator and are known to respond to environmental disturbances such as persistent synthetic toxic chemicals, human activity, and changes in breeding habitat, prey abundance and climate. The Canadian Species at Risk Act currently lists the anatum/tundrius subspecies of peregrine falcon as a species of special concern. Systematic surveys of peregrine falcons along the Old Crow River, including portions of VNP, began in 1975. Peregrine falcon populations across North America had declined by this time, primarily because of reproductive failure following exposure to organochloride pesticides such as DDT. Old Crow River surveys are used with other data to track changes in Yukon peregrine falcon populations and are timed to coincide with the Canadian Peregrine Falcon Survey. The earliest surveys were done by the Government of Yukon and Yukon College. Parks Canada has conducted these surveys since 2000 in cooperation with the Vuntut Gwitchin Government.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Coastal Erosion - Prince Edward Island

Coastal erosion is the process that removes shoreline material, causing the coastline to retreat inland.  The coastal landscape of Prince Edward Island is identified as a region sensitive to sea-level rise. Systematic measurements for coastal erosion were carried out between 2007-2010 using ground surveyed reference transects and shoreline coordinates. The most recent analyses of coastal erosion (2010-2012) uses a remote sensing approach with shoreline positions digitized on high resolution ortho-photos and satellite images. Differences between shoreline positions are measured at 2 m intervals along a baseline transect and averaged to obtain an overall erosion rate for sandstone and till substrate types. These data are used to determine if the erosion rates for sandstone and till coastal shorelines of PEI National Park are within the expected historical range and if this rate has remained stable over time.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Wetland Productivity - Prince Edward Island

Seasonal flooding and water retention within low lying areas or areas associated with water drainage pathways creates unique and productive habitat within the landscape.  The area of wetlands that are regularly flooded and contain substantial amounts of emergent and submerged vegetation is called hemi-marsh.  The area of hemi-marsh is estimated for selected wetlands in PEI National Park during late summer each decade using satellite and digital ortho-photo images as a measure of wetland productivity.  The amount and rate of change of hemi-marsh area between decades is tracked and compared against historical levels to evaluate ecological integrity within the park for this ecosystem feature.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Infrastructure Footprint - Prince Edward Island

The removal and restoration of outdated infrastructure has been an ongoing since 2009, with formal tracking and monitoring for forest and coastal ecosystems starting in 2014. The natural function of an ecosystem is highly degraded by above and below ground infrastructure. A five step scale was developed to rate the level of disturbance of a site from its natural state, with one (1) having no ecosystem function or extremely little ecological value (i.e. a built road or building) and zero (0) being a fully restored and self-sustaining ecosystem. All infrastructure in PEI National Park has been mapped through GIS and its footprint area recorded. The site condition ecological disturbance rank (0-1) has been applied to all areas with infrastructure or that are under restoration. This data is updated according to each site’s restoration monitoring plan.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Subalpine - Gwaii Haanas

The subalpine zone of Haida Gwaii occurs between an elevation of 600 to 800m.  Permanent plots are monitored every 5 years to detect any changes to the structure and composition of the vegetation community on Yatza Mountain.  Metrics include: canopy closure, debris classes, tree species, organic matter and percent cover by species.  These parameters will then determine if there is a decline in the % cover of vegetation.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Marbled Murrelet - Gwaii Haanas

In partnership with ECCC, Gwaii Haanas monitors five Marbled Murrelet colonies by using a radar station located offshore. As birds fly out to the ocean at dawn, and return at dusk, the radar data is used to estimate the number of birds per hectare of suitable nesting habitat. Sampling areas focus on estuarine areas where the watershed or catchment contains old growth stands likely to host nesting birds in June and July.  Marbled Murrelets are unique among seabirds because of their nesting habits – non-colonial nesting on thick, moss-covered limbs of large, old growth trees.  Because of this, the fate of this species (federally listed as Threatened) is linked to the availability of old growth rainforest habitat and marine health.  

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Forest Loss - Gwaii Haanas

Forest loss is monitored annually in Gwaii Haanas with remote sensing, where forest loss is defined as a change from forest to non-forest state over a period of time. Forest loss in Gwaii Haanas is caused by 4 main mechanisms: mass wasting on steep slopes, extreme wind events, extreme rain events and forest fires. All these disturbance events can be influenced by climate change and invasive species (eg. deer). The location and extent of these events can also impact local ecological conditions. For example, the released debris from mass wasting can impact forest cover, riparian corridors, wetlands and in some cases cultural artifacts. Monitoring these landscape changes are critical for understanding landscape and community level changes to the forests of Gwaii Haanas.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Water Quality - Gwaii Haanas

Water Quality is measured annually in both streams and lakes in Gwaii Haanas. Many water quality parameters are collected and they can be grouped into three categories: (1) Physical (e.g. temperature, depth); (2) Chemical (e.g. pH, nutrients) and (3) Biological (chlorophyll a).  Water quality is a key component of aquatic habitat and changes to any parameters can be caused by the surrounding landscape, climate, in-stream processes, and natural and human impacts. Depending on the parameter, significant changes can impact biota from algae to fish and birds.  This data is also posted to, and available from ECCC's CABIN database.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Breeding seabirds - Gwaii Haanas

Gwaii Haanas has partnered with ECCC to monitor a set of permanent plots mapping colony structure and burrow occupancy rate by excavating samples of burrows of Ancient Murrelet and Cassin’s Auklet.  The data are used to determine if the breeding population areas are changing at specific key nesting colonies and if the change signifies an increasing or decreasing population trend.  An estimated 1.5 million seabirds breed colonially on the 200+ islands, islets and rocks of Haida Gwaii, including globally and nationally significant proportions of 5 seabird species.  A significant threat to breeding seabirds is predation by non-native mammals, notably raccoons and rats.  These non-native fauna have destroyed colonies, and ANMU was designated as a species of special concern based on this threat.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Western Toad - Gwaii Haanas

Annual visual surveys are used to assess annual occupancy of breeding western toads at 10 known breeding ponds. Because of their reliance on wetland habitat for breeding, western toads are used as a measure of aquatic ecosystem health.  The western toad is the only amphibian native to Haida Gwaiii and was designated as a species of special concern by COSEWIC in 2002.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Forest Understory Structure - Gwaii Haanas

The forest understory vegetation community is a key ecosystem component of Haida Gwaii forests. Understory plants provide food for native fauna (bears, birds etc.), structure for nesting habitat (eg. songbirds, auklets), and medicines for Haida use (among others). In Gwaii Haanas, 3 sites are monitored every 10 years to detect any abnormalities in the known successional sequence of dominance for 14 key plants. Any shift away from normal succession indicates a stressor is having an effect on the understory. Stressor examples include: deer, squirrel, insects and climate (and many others).

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Non-native mammals - Gwaii Haanas

Non-native mammal species are monitored annually in areas critical for the protection important seabird islands. Remote cameras are deployed for 15-days to annually detect any changes to the mammal community at key sites. Non-native species pose the greatest ecological threat in Gwaii Haanas. Deer dramatically alter the vegetation and rats, racoons and squirrels impact native species both directly (predation) and indirectly (competition). 

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Stream Benthic Invertebrates %EPT - Gwaii Haanas

The EPT index measures the proportion of freshwater organisms belonging to the taxa Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (or EPT for short).  These species are considered to be highly sensitive to pollution and are a measure of good environmental conditions. Any significant declines to these species in a stream could indicate that a pollutant has entered the ecosystem. Streams are sampled in permanent locations on a 3-year rotational panel monitoring design.  This data is also posted to, and available from ECCC's CABIN database.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Black Oystercatcher - Gwaii Haanas

Black Oystercatcher breeding success is estimated by visually surveying known breeding habitat in key areas of Gwaii Haanas. Surveys are conducted twice a year during breeding season. Black Oysercatchers are very vulnerable to disturbances, predation of eggs and young, predators, oil spills and reduction of food sources due to global warming.   They are also considered to be a keystone species in the north Pacific, and an indicator of the health of the rocky shoreline and intertidal community.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Stream Benthic Invertebrate Richness - Gwaii Haanas

The richness of benthic macro-invertebrate species is used to monitor the overall health of stream ecosystems in Gwaii Haanas.  Any shifts in community composition, initially detected as an increase or decrease in species richness, can be the result of nutrient levels, atmospheric pollutants, or a physical disturbance of the habitat. This is the result of species adapted to the new conditions increasing in abundance and species maladapted to the new conditions decreasing in abundance.  Streams are sampled in permanent locations on a 3-year rotational panel monitoring design.  This data is also posted to, and available from ECCC's CABIN database.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Rock ptarmigan population size - Gros Morne

The Island of Newfoundland is home to the most southerly population of Rock Ptarmigan in North America and is the only place where the subspecies Lagopus mutus welchi can be found. Rock Ptarmigan are the only species of bird that live year round in the Alpine tundra of Gros Morne. This measure aims at a population count and trend for breeding Rock Ptarmigan on top of Gros Morne Mountain. The survey occurs yearly, between May 26 and June 1.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada