Barnacle Geese Impact on Vegetation on Storholmen Island, Kongsfjiorden

Sampling event Observation
Latest version published by The University Centre in Svalbard on Sep 2, 2026 The University Centre in Svalbard
Publication date:
September 2, 2026
License:
CC-BY 4.0

Download the latest version of this resource data as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) or the resource metadata as EML or RTF:

Data as a DwC-A file download 131 records in English (9 KB) - Update frequency: not planned
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Metadata as an RTF file download in English (11 KB)

Description

This is the data collected on Storholmen Island in Kongsfjiorden under the supervision of Dr. Maarton Loonen. Sampling plots were found using predetermined GPS coordinates. For the project, vegetation coverage data was recorded using the quadrat frequency method, as well as goose feces coverage. Plant samples of Saxifraga cespitosa and Saxifraga oppositifolia were taken from every 5 plots in order to perform SLA and CN analyses.

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 131 records.

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:

Martin L, Kessler M, Orlik W, Oswald M, Hermansen S T (2026). Barnacle Geese Impact on Vegetation on Storholmen Island, Kongsfjiorden. Version 1.1. The University Centre in Svalbard. Samplingevent dataset. https://ipt.gbif.no/resource?r=barnacle_goose_impact_on_vegetation_on_storholmen&v=1.1

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is The University Centre in Svalbard. 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: bd8fbb46-9611-45eb-b8a3-8f442e4f1d6d.  The University Centre in Svalbard publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Norway.

Keywords

Samplingevent; Observation

Contacts

Lea Martin
  • Originator
University of Oregon
97403 Eugene
Oregon
US
Moritz Kessler
  • Originator
Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck
6020 Innsbruck
Tirol
AT
Wiktoria Orlik
  • Originator
University of Bergen
5007 Bergen
Vestlandet
NO
Marion Oswald
  • Originator
University of Rostock
18051 Rostock
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
DE
Svein Tore Hermansen
  • Originator
University of Bergen
5007 Bergen
Vestlandet
NO
Peter Lin
  • Point Of Contact
The University Centre in Svalbard
9170 Longyearbyen
Svalbard
NO
Luke Marsden
  • Point Of Contact
University Centre in Svalbard
9170 Longyearbyen
Svalbard
NO

Geographic Coverage

These coordinates are the location of the plots that were examined, provided by Dr. Maarton Loonen.

Bounding Coordinates South West [78.928, 12.206], North East [78.934, 12.226]

Temporal Coverage

Start Date / End Date 2026-08-11 / 2026-08-15

Project Data

No Description available

Title UNIS AB-201
Identifier https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119442230

The personnel involved in the project:

Peter Lin

Sampling Methods

Vegetation documentation through quadrat method, plant sample collected every 5 plots.

Study Extent This study took place between August 11 2026 to August 15 2026 on Storholmen.
Quality Control Same size quadrats, standardized procedure.

Method step description:

  1. Finding the plot: Use the handheld GPS device to find the coordinates on the grid that Maarten has already determined for this year’s study. Record quadrat # and coordinates. Use marker flags and place them in the center of each pair of coordinates. Then, obtain a 50x50 cm quadrat and align it so that the flag is in the middle of the quadrat. Do this for each marker flag. Slope Angle: Open the compass with the mirror pointing towards you and the mirror is pointed sideways or vertical. Hold the compass at eye level, with the adjustable ring pointing east towards you and align the compass to eye height of another student further away. At this point the northern direction should point perpendicular from the line of sight. Then the clinometer arrow will point at the angle of the surface. Slope Aspect: Stand with your back towards the slope (facing down the slope). Align compass needle with north-poiting arrow. Read the direction/degrees at the marker point. Elevation: Record from GPS device. Goose feces cover (frequency method x/16, %): Determining the % cover of goose feces involves noting if feces is present inside each full square in each quadrat. Go square by square inside the quadrat noting if feces is present or not, then tally the total number of squares out of 16 that contain feces to determine the % cover in the quadrat. Photograph: Take a photo of the quadrat from above Label photo clearly Note that this step has been complete in the data table NDVI: This device will capture the health and lushness of the vegetation. A field assistant or professor will use the device with the help of a student. Recording plants in the quadrant: Identify every plant present to species level (if able) for vascular plants, and to group/family for non-vascular plants (ex. mosses, lichens, liverwort, etc.) Record in data table. Plant species cover (frequency method x/16, %): Determining the % cover involves noting the species present inside each full square in each quadrat (similar to goose feces method). Start with one species and go square by square noting if it is present or not. Then tally the total number of squares out of 16 that contain that species to determine the % cover in the quadrat. Move on to the next species, and the next, etc using the same technique until every species has been accounted for. (TAKE PHOTOS OF SHEET WHEN FILLED OUT, & ALWAYS NOTE QUADRAT #) Sampling/collecting the leaves: Obtain 10 fully expanded, healthy, green, mature leaves that weren’t grazed on from S. polaris and S. cespitosa in plots with identifiers ending in zero or five (e.g., plot numbered 5, 10, 15, and so forth). To minimize contamination, tweezers or latex gloves are used to extract the leaves. In quadrats that contained sparse vegetation or were completely bare, leaf samples can be obtained from nearby areas in the same plot. If a plot ID ending in zero or five is in a place beyond reach (e.g., in the water), another plot can be chosen haphazardly for sampling. The leaves should be placed in a labelled (Quadrat and species) plastic/paper bag and transported to the laboratory for further processing and analysing.

Additional Metadata