Point count surveys

Knowledge graph centered on Point count surveys with 71 nodes and 160 connections. Top connected: Hummingbird, Populus, Diversification of Type VI Secretion System Toxins, Populus tremuloides, Selasphorus platycercus.

Method synopsis

Systematic point count surveys conducted along an elevational gradient to assess current species distributions. Each site has four sampling points with standardized observation periods, replicated across three visits.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 15 papers using this protocol.

Procedure from a recent peer-reviewed implementation

Steps below were extracted from the most recent peer-reviewed implementation of this protocol in the corpus — Diversification of Type VI Secretion System Toxins Reveals Ancient Antagonism among Bee Gut Microbes (2017), mBio. The protocol was originally introduced by Impacts of Historical Hydroperiod on Bird Predation of Emergent Aquatic Insects (2017). Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Conduct standard breeding bird surveys
   Standard strip-transect surveys were conducted using variable-strip transect methods with intensive survey modifications. Birds were censused visually or aurally along bands approximately two transects intersecting the study area.
   Quantities: 25 standard surveys and 17 intensive surveys conducted across all sitesDuration: Mean duration of standard surveys: 1 hr and 17 min; intensive surveys: 3 hrConditions: Conducted during breeding season (timing unspecified for peak activity)
   Equipment: visual and auditory detection equipment
2. Locate and record nest sites
   Nests discovered during routine censusing were recorded. Intensive censusing involved the third investigator making thorough and intensive efforts to locate nests. Nest sites were categorized by type including primary cavity nesters, obligate secondary cavity nesters, facultative secondary cavity nesters, and common noncavity nesters.
   Quantities: Multiple nests per site recorded across different cavity nester categoriesDuration: Ongoing throughout breeding season surveysConditions: During peak breeding season activity periods
   Equipment: nest location recording materials
3. Calculate bird abundance and detectability corrections

Typical Equipment

• GeoXT unit equipped with Terrasync software
• Geo7X unit equipped with Terrasync software
• iPhone SE
• GPS Tracks application
• binoculars (Nikon Action 8X42)
• Merlin application

Output Measurements

• species occurrence
• elevational range limits
• species detection

Papers Using This Protocol (15)

Species Studied With This Protocol