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Burkhardt, Elke (2020): Whale sightings during POLARSTERN cruise PS99.2 (ARK-XXX/1.2) [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.924702

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Abstract:
Data on whale distribution and abundance in the polar oceans is rather sparse, as implementing the standard surveying method, line-transect surveys, is challenging and costly. To overcome this problem, we initiated a program to electronically log all opportunistic cetacean sightings during all Polarstern expeditions through the nautical officer on watch. Opportunistic (visual) sightings by naked eye were logged during Polarstern Cruise PS99.2 (Longyearbyen - Tromsø) by the nautical officer on duty using a customized Software package (WALOG, WhAleLOGger) installed on a touch screen laptop located on the ship's bridge. Species were identified by naked eye or handheld binoculars (7x50) to the lowest possible taxonomical level and assigned a “certainty” level of identification. The number of animals were counted if possible or estimated for larger groups. Whenever identification to species level was not possible, the next identifiable taxonomical category was assigned. Information on sighting position, date and time are automatically transferred from the ship's DAVIS-Ship System (https://dship.awi.de/) to the WALOG software at the time of logging. Photographs were taken if possible for retrospective analysis. All data of acquired sightings were retrospectively validated by a marine biologist and converted to a standard format. To this end, plausibility of sighting time, location, standardization of species names, eventual comments added at the time of sighting, as well as additional information such as photographs (if available) were checked either to verify or improve species identification. Datasets are used in species distribution modelling and to inform interested parties about occurrences.
Keyword(s):
Cetacean sightings; WALOG
Related to:
Soltwedel, Thomas (2016): The Expeditions PS99.1 and PS99.2 of the Research Vessel POLARSTERN to the Fram Strait in 2016. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 704, 107 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0704_2016
Further details:
Information for MAPS-Arctic whale sighting data (2018-12-19)
Project(s):
Marine Mammal Perimeter Surveillance from RV Polarstern (MAPS)
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 78.886811 * Median Longitude: 6.583900 * South-bound Latitude: 75.322670 * West-bound Longitude: 4.336720 * North-bound Latitude: 79.752580 * East-bound Longitude: 10.304480
Date/Time Start: 2016-06-24T21:52:11 * Date/Time End: 2016-07-13T23:09:07
Event(s):
PS99.2-track * Latitude Start: 78.300000 * Longitude Start: 15.650000 * Latitude End: 69.678000 * Longitude End: 18.989800 * Date/Time Start: 2016-06-23T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2016-07-16T00:00:00 * Campaign: PS99.2 (ARK-XXX/1.2) * Basis: Polarstern * Method/Device: Underway cruise track measurements (CT)
Comment:
Date/Time is given in UTC. Certainty of identification: definite if observer clearly identified the species. The number of individuals is binned according to the options given in the data acquisition software: 1, 2, 3, less equal 5, less equal 10, greater than 10, greater than 20. More precise values may exist, due to observer comments.
Parameter(s):
#NameShort NameUnitPrincipal InvestigatorMethod/DeviceComment
1 DATE/TIMEDate/TimeBurkhardt, ElkeGeocode
2 LATITUDELatitudeBurkhardt, ElkeGeocode
3 LONGITUDELongitudeBurkhardt, ElkeGeocode
4 Whale speciesWhaleBurkhardt, ElkeVisual observation
5 Certainty of identificationCertaintyBurkhardt, Elke
6 IndividualsInd#Burkhardt, ElkeVisual observation
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)
Size:
99 data points

Data

Download dataset as tab-delimited text — use the following character encoding:

1 
Date/Time		2 
Latitude		3 
Longitude		4 
Whale		5 
Certainty		6 
Ind [#]
2016-06-24T21:5278.183409.70810Balaenoptera physalusprobable1
2016-06-24T22:2378.220289.31280Large whale, unidentifieddefinite2
2016-06-24T22:3478.233259.17268Large whale, unidentifieddefinite1
2016-06-24T22:5378.256408.92447Large whale, unidentifieddefinite1
2016-06-24T22:5478.256788.92063Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite>5
2016-06-24T22:5478.257928.90870Large whale, unidentifieddefinite2
2016-06-24T23:0178.265388.82702Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite3
2016-06-25T00:4678.389857.48215Balaenoptera physalusdefinite1
2016-06-25T01:0778.414027.22020Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite2
2016-06-25T01:1078.416637.19090Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite3
2016-07-04T23:2579.690084.71735Balaenoptera physalusdefinite1
2016-07-05T07:2579.736634.48997Whale, unidentifieddefinite1
2016-07-05T10:1779.752584.48660Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-05T10:5279.735884.44647Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-05T15:1979.737634.43343Balaenoptera acutorostratadefinite1
2016-07-05T15:3079.737184.43173Balaenoptera physalusdefinite1
2016-07-05T18:0079.678204.75653Balaenoptera physalusdefinite3
2016-07-06T01:2779.460985.16803Balaenoptera physaluspossible4
2016-07-06T01:3779.435775.14378Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-06T01:4479.416805.12517Balaenoptera physaluspossible2
2016-07-06T01:5379.394975.10335Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-06T10:5579.043524.49813Balaenoptera physalusdefinite1
2016-07-08T13:5079.070926.14278Whale, unidentifieddefinite1
2016-07-08T14:2679.082326.39628Megaptera novaeangliaedefinite3
2016-07-08T14:4279.061756.61332Whale, unidentifieddefinite1
2016-07-08T23:3379.011727.75838Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-08T23:4979.006387.97910Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-09T18:2979.034259.07548Balaenoptera physaluspossible1
2016-07-09T20:3379.101137.16525Balaenoptera physalusprobable1
2016-07-12T09:1679.051904.46418Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite>10
2016-07-12T20:5478.964184.33672Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite>5
2016-07-12T21:4578.843424.56453Balaenoptera physalusdefinite2
2016-07-13T23:0975.3226710.30448Dolphins, unidentifieddefinite4