AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Stream temperature - Torngat Mountains

Water temperature is a critical variable in stream ecology, and in particular has direct implications for fish populations. Automated data loggers are being used to record year-round hourly measurments of  water temperature in various watersheds in Torngat Mountains national park. Note that because the data loggers being used (Hobo U20) also records hourly water level readings this measure is co-located with a stream hydrology measure.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Stream hydrology - Torngat Mountains

Hydrology is a key factor affecting biodiversity and the ecological functioning of aquatic and riparian ecosystems through sediment transport, erosion, water chemistry, etc. Automated data loggers are being used to record year-round hourly measurments of  absolute in-stream pressure, absolute barometric pressure and water level in headwater streams of the Ivitak focal watershed, in Torngat Mountains national park. Note that because the data loggers being used (Hobo U20) also records hourly water temperature readings this measure is co-located with a stream temperature measure.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Subtle Vegetation Change - Torngat Mountains

This dataset contains the percent land cover of woody shrubs in shrub-dominated ecotypes within Torngat Mountains National Park from 1985 to 2014. This is a remote sensing measure that uses Landsat imagery collected on an annual basis during peak phenology in the summer. The increase in percent cover of shrubs is an important indicator of climate change in northern ecosystems. Changes in regional climate affect the growing season length, permafrost, and soil temperature and moisture, which ultimately affect land cover. Quantifying the expansion of woody shrubs into tundra will enable park managers to predict ecological responses such as shifts in wildlife ranges or impacts to species at risk.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Harlequin duck abundance and brood productivity - Torngat Mountains

The Harlequin duck is a species at risk that occurs in the Torngat Mountains National Park. Fast-flowing rivers and streams constitute its breeding habitat but it is known to forgo breeding when abundance of aquatic insects is low. A helicopter survey is conducted every five years in late- July to count Harlequin ducks and other species at risk (Barrow's Goldeneye, Peregrine falcon, Polar bear) along the park's rivers and fjords. Harlequin ducks are counted and brood size and age is recorded. Barrow's Goldeneye ducks are counted and molting sites are recorded.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Tundra vegetation climate - Torngat Mountains

Soil and air temperature control the composition and productivity of tundra plant communities and different species of Arctic and alpine plants respond differently to changing soil and air temperatures, which can lead to changes in community composition The Torngat National Park monitors soil and air temperature using temperature loggers deploys at several locations in the park. Air temperatures (degrees Celsius) are measured each hour using Onset ProV2 data loggers housed in a radiation shield anchored to a firm metal post 1.5 m above ground level. Soil temperature readings (degrees Celsius) have been collected using Onset Hobo Pendant or Hobo Tidbit data loggers buried at a depth of 10 cm and set to record temperatures every hour. 

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Dwarf birch growth change - Torngat Mountains

The Torngat National Park monitors the growth and extent of dwarf birch along elevational transects at 5 locations to understand how shrubs are changing the tundra vegetation in the park and sub-arctic regions. Each transect contains 3 or 4 plots, at lower slope, mid slope, and upper slope. Cover, height, growth increment and browsing of Dwarf Birch, and also soil temperature, are recorded at each plot.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Collared Pika - Nahanni

Monitoring pika occupancy and persistence over time will help to assess the impacts of climate change and the ecological integrity of Alpine Tundra ecosystems within Nahanni National Park Reserve. Annual visual counts of active hay piles by foot as well as auditory surveys are used to assess pika populations. Collared Pika are listed as "Special Concern" species by COSEWIC. 

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Forest Vegetation - Nahanni

Forest ecosystems are a vital component of Nahanni National Park Reserve, covering approximately 80% of the park. Forest vegetation condition is currently a composite of three sub-measures: changes in (1) mature spruce stand growth rates, (2) mature spruce stand mortality rates, and (3) understory vascular species composition. The measure focuses on river valley white and black spruce-dominated stands.  Data collection is conducted at permanent plots by field technicians once every ten years.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Bison abundance - Wood Buffalo National Park

The Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP) Bison Abundance database is a data set that documents numbers of bison observed during bison population estimate surveys conducted in WBNP. Survey methodology was standardized from 2002 to present. A strip transect survey allows for both minimum counts and a population estimate with accompanying estimates of precision. Survey intervals have ranged from 2 to 5 years. The study area is based on the subpopulation boundaries outlined in Joly and Messier (2001), and is thought to include the entire ranges of the Delta, Garden River, Hay Camp and Nyarling subpopulations, as well as about half the range of the Little Buffalo subpopulation. 

Wood Buffalo National Park was created to protect habitat and prevent extinction of the Wood Bison (Soper 1941).


Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Snowshoe hare (pellet survey) - Wood Buffalo

Snowshoe hare are a keystone species of the boreal forest with a 9-10 year population cycle. Hare densities are positively correlated with other species and can have significant impacts on vegetation during portions of their cycle, and may affect plant survival and composition on a local level. There are 4 permanent transects located north of the Peace River, a sample regime suited for making accurate assumptions about the snowshoe hare cycle in Wood Buffalo National Park. The methodology for this measure is standard across North America.Monitoring is done by counting fecal pellets in study plots and then clearing the plot of pellets.  This takes place once a year every June to estimate the population density of snowshoe hares.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Waterbird status - Wood Buffalo National Park

Monitoring the abundance diversity and distribution of birds in wetlands is used to track the effect of changes in hydrology and water quality related to human activities, flow regulation and climate change. 
Automated Recording Units (ARU) are deployed annually in the spring prior to the breeding season, to detect presence and estimate the relative abundance of birds and amphibians. The ARU’s are programmed to take a 10-minute recording at dusk and dawn. 
Randomly selected recordings are professionally transcribed to identify species and abundance. 


Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
PAD vegetation change - Wood Buffalo National Park

The Peace Athabasca Delta (PAD) is a dynamic deltaic ecosystem that is driven by natural, periodic floods. Vegetation communities naturally vary with floods and droughts, but changes in the long term can be detected. Specific concerns include: a shift away from aquatic communities, encroachment of shrubby species, and spread of invasive species. The Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP) PAD Vegetation Invasive Species dataset documents the occurrence and cover of invasive plant species in permanent plots in the Peace Athabasca Delta. In 1993, thirty six vegetation transects were established. Survey frequency was every five years; exceptions were: a) after a flood, and b) in 2014-2016 the survey was split across three years. Percent cover of each plant is estimated and identifications are made to the species level, where possible. Non-native invasive species grouped in the dataset were Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion), Cirsus arvense (Canada thistle), Sonchus species (sowthistles).

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Muskrat Aerial Survey - Wood Buffalo National Park

This measure is based on muskrat aerial surveys in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD), done in collaboration with local indigenous groups. Muskrats are a keystone species. They play a pivotal role in the food web of the PAD and as such are a good indicator of what is going on at higher trophic levels. They have a predictable response to change, which can be reliably and easily measured. Muskrats also eat a range of plant species, alter vegetation composition of wetlands, and create a patchwork of closed and open habitats. Culturally, they play a fundamental role in the diet, materials, medicine, and traditional values, culture and economy of First Nations and Métis of the PAD.  The monitoring question must consider two elements of the muskrat population:  abundance and cyclicity.  Muskrat houses are counted by observers from a fixed wing plane every other year in the spring.  Transects are 1 km wide and 20 km long and the plane flies at an altitude of 200m at 120 knots.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Delta water extent (remote sensing) - Wood Buffalo National Park

The Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) is a huge wetland complex which provides important habitat for wildlife and migrating waterfowl. Remote sensing provides a way to monitor this large and remote area. A combination of optical and radar (Radarsat) satellite imagery is used along with ground truthing to map the extent of surface water, and the associated vegetation in the PAD each spring.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Contaminants in Colonial Waterbird Eggs - Wood Buffalo National Park

Monitoring contaminants in gull and tern eggs is a useful tool for gaining insights into local environmental conditions because gulls and terns are integrators of processes occurring at lower levels in the food web and their eggs are generally formed using local food sources. Therefore, the chemical composition of the egg will reflect the chemical characteristics of the region in the vicinity of the breeding colony, including level of contaminants, such as mercury.  Eggs are collected any time after laying, ideally well before hatching, but after the full clutch size (3 eggs) has been reached, generally around the middle of June. The collection site is a colony on Lake Mamawi, in the Peace Athabasca Delta; in addition to collection sites outside the park. One egg is collected from 10 different nests for both species (Ring-billed Gull and Common Tern).  Park staff measure the length and width of all eggs in each nest. and the number of nests are counted. Eggs are shipped to the lab for analyses.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Wildlife Mortality Data - Kootenay

Vehicle-caused wildlife mortality and wildlife management destruction data for Kootenay National Park between the years 2005 and 2017. Each species mortality is recorded by date, location, count, age, gender, and cause. 

For more recent records please refer to “Human-wildlife coexistence incidents in selected national parks from 2010 to 2021 - Open Government Portal (canada.ca)”: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/cc5ea139-c628-46dc-ac55-a5b3351b7fdf

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Lemming Population - Tuktut

This dataset is a count of Lemming nests  in Tuktut Nogait National Park. The counts are done annually in mid-July at 12 predetermined sample locations 1 ha in size. Lemmings are an important herbivore and source of food for predators. Lemming populations often fluctuate dramatically, typically growing and declining every three to four years. Monitoring lemming abundance is important to understand the state and consistency of this population cycle and its relationship to biodiversity and the state of the Arctic ecosystem over the long term.  

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Water Quality - Tuktut

This dataset is a collection of measurements which make up two water quality indexes: Nutrients, Physical and Major Ions (NPMI) Index and Metals Index. The measurements are taken at two different locations along the Hornaday River annually in early-July.
Project Rationale: Water quality is a widely used measure for assessing and monitoring the condition of freshwater ecosystems.  The chemical composition of water influences the biological productivity and species composition of rivers.  Changes in the water quality in the rivers and creeks in the Western Arctic can act as early indicators of ecosystem change. The presence of contaminants, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, and radionuclides are a concern because they can have negative effects on Arctic ecosystems and human health.  Furthermore, a changing climate in the Arctic can influence the nutrient levels in the streams and rivers as more nutrients will be released from thawing permafrost. As the expected effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems are still unknown, continuous monitoring is paramount.  


Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Benthic Invertebrates - Tuktut 

This dataset contains monitoring data for benthic invertebrate communities along the Hornaday River Corridor. The raw data in this dataset is used to calculate benthic invertebrate richness and the percentage of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies) (EPT) species (some of the most important species that indicate a healthy system). The data is collected annually in early-July at pre-determined sites along the Hornaday River. Full benthic invertebrate sampling and habitat assessments are completed in accordance with CABIN protocols.
Water quality is a widely used measure for assessing and monitoring the condition of freshwater ecosystems. Chemical and physical water quality monitoring can be enhanced by using the presence or health of organisms (biota) living at a site as an indication of ecosystem condition. The priority is to gather baseline data, to monitor any changes in benthic invertebrate communities over time, and to correlate any changes in the community to water quality and water flow river discharge.


Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Water Quality Simplified - Tuktut 

This dataset is a simplified version of water quality measurements taken in Tuktut Nogait National Park. It is a collection of measurements which make up two water quality indexes: Nutrients and Major Ions (NMI) Index and Metals Index. The measurements are taken along the Hornaday River annually in early-July.
The chemical composition of water influences the biological productivity and species composition of rivers.  Changes in the water quality in the rivers and creeks in the Western Arctic can act as early indicators of ecosystem change. The presence of contaminants, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, and radionuclides are a concern because they can have negative effects on Arctic ecosystems and human health.  Furthermore, a changing climate in the Arctic can influence the nutrient levels in the streams and rivers as more nutrients will be released from thawing permafrost. As the expected effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems are still unknown, continuous monitoring is paramount.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Native Amphibians - Pacific Rim

This program captures counts of amphibian egg masses used to measure abundance and distribution trends in the breeding populations of Red-legged Frogs (Rana aurora) and Northwestern Salamanders (Ambystoma gracile) in the Long Beach Unit of the park. It is assumed that one egg-mass represents one breeding female. The Red-legged Frog is listed as a species of Special Concern (COSEWIC 2004). Surveys represent a complete visual census of selected representative lakes and wetlands (representing different wetland types, sizes and at variable distances from roads) and occur annually in the spring. Northwestern Salamanders breed later than Red-legged frogs but late March is normally the best dates to survey both species. The exact dates are determined on a yearly basis by visiting a few easily accessible wetlands in late January and February to see when the first Red-legged Frog egg masses appear. The combination of wetland breeding areas and adjacent upland forests are critical for amphibian survival. The development of watersheds, highway traffic, disturbance of ditch habitat, introduced fish, bullfrogs and diseases and recreational activities all have the potential to reduce the survival of larvae, juveniles and adults of native amphibian species. Thus, amphibian populations are good indicators of the hydrology, water quality, presence of exotics, and overall health of a wetland and its surrounding ecosystem.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
LESSS Areal Extent - Point Pelee

An estimated 65% reduction in Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannas (LESSS) has occurred over the last 72 years. A land cover mapping standard is used to classify the types of landscape cover in the park and assess change over time. Both remote sensing and ground data are utilised to complete this inventory work using established protocols. Using this method, changes in LESSS area over time can be detected and evaluated.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus - Point Pelee

The endangered eastern prickly pear cactus is a focal species for Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannas (LESSS), one of the most imperiled terrestrial ecosystems in North America. Although monitoring of the of eastern prickly pear cactus has occurred within the park since 1971, accurate estimation of population trends is not possible due to variability in sampling techniques. Presently Point Pelee National Park uses a 10x10m grid to sample selected plots of different densities.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Wetland Habitat Succession Interspersion - Point Pelee

Changes in the cover of emergent vegetation (cattails and Phragmites predominantly) and open water are quantified through the classification of remote sensing data taken in spring. Cattails are the dominant feature of Pelee marsh, and their spread has altered the habitat mosaic of the wetland. Over the past decade, Phragmites has spread in the park, colonizing Typha-dominated areas and further threatening marsh biodiversity, wildlife habitats, and functions

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Seabird Populations - Pacific Rim

This program captures the relative abundance and distribution of five common seabirds occurring in the waters of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve including the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), Common Murre (Uria aalge), Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata), Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba), and Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus). The at-sea surveys are done approximately every two weeks from May to September and use standardized fixed-route strip transects to estimate annual variations in the population of seabirds using the near-shore waters of the park. Seabirds are prominent members of the inshore marine ecosystems and are considered to be sentinels of both local and broad environmental change. The demographic stability of seabird populations may serve as an integrated measure of health of the shoreline ecosystem.  

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Intertidal Bivalves - Pacific Rim

Shellfish monitoring has been accepted by the Pacific Bioregion of Parks Canada as a measure of ecosystem health in soft substrates in the intertidal zone. Surveys are used to capture the status of selected bivalves within the national park reserve to determine long-term population numbers and trends in response to natural and/or human disturbance. Shellfish surveys are completed annually in May at selected sites in the Broken Group Islands Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Clam and oyster datasets are presented separately, as surveys follow different field protocols, but both use variations of a method of randomly selected quadrat sampling along a transect. Surveys follow the principle of non-destructive sampling and protocols, developed in collaboration with fisheries biologists, and are based on stock assessment methods applied coast-wide by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Intertidal bivalves are good indicator species of the overall environmental conditions of an area because they are relatively long-lived and spend the majority of their lifespan in one location. Furthermore, shellfish populations remain vulnerable to over harvesting by a variety of users (including legitimate recreational harvesters) in the Park Reserve.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Kelp Density - Pacific Rim

This program measures kelp density from annual dive transects during August and September at a number of sites in the Broken Group Islands of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Kelp species assessed include Agarum spp., Macrocystis pyrifera, Eisenia arborea, Pterygophora californica, Saccharina spp. and Desmarestia spp. Kelp forests are phyletically diverse, structurally complex and highly productive ecosystems in temperate rocky marine coastlines, thereby providing a suitable suite of measures indicative of subtidal ecosystem health. On the west coast of Vancouver Island, the return of foraging sea otters (Enhydra lutris) and their effect on sea urchin populations have had different effects, depending on kelp species composition (perennial versus annual). Status for this measure is assessed by comparing observed perennial and annual kelp densities to the literature derived thresholds in areas where sea otters are present. Objectives are to monitor fluctuations in kelp density in conjunction with monitoring abundance of the main grazer, the Red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus), and oceanic climate conditions. The ultimate target of the kelp monitoring project is to document re-establishment of a fully functional ecosystem with the anticipated return of sea otters.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
Songbird Community - Pacific Rim

This program aims to capture population trends in several guilds of forest songbirds as well as trends in community species diversity. Sampling occurs early to late morning (sunrise-10am) between the first week of May and the first week of July. At each sampling station an 11 minute audio-recording and a concurrent audio-visual count are obtained. A total of 18 survey transects with 5 stations 300m apart are completed in the Long Beach Unit three times every four years since 2009 and an additional two transects have been completed in the West Coast Trail Unit annually since 2011. Forest songbirds respond to numerous influences on terrestrial ecosystems and may help to provide information on biodiversity (both bird and landscape components), ecosystem function (across a variety of scales) and forest stressors (forest fragmentation, development, climate change, etc.). The measure combines 16 most common songbird species and also the species richness as a separate measurement. This is a composite measure and is similar to monitoring programs being used in other National Parks in Canada.

Organization: Parks Canada | Parcs Canada