Cape Hatteras 04-05
Duke University Marine Laboratory

Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University

This dataset contains location information of marine mammal, sea bird, sea turtle sightings off of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in August 2004.

Our objective is to map the distribution of upper-trophic predators with respect to physical and biological gradients across the North Carolina shelf. A team of observers used standardized population sampling techniques, including line-transect and strip-transect methods, to survey the distribution and abundance of marine mammals, birds and turtles. By repeatedly surveying the study area in conjunction with physical and biological measurements from in-situ and remote-sensing platforms, we will quantify how these predators respond to changes in the oceanography of this dynamic region over short time scales (days) and across seasons (summer - winter).

More information is available online:
Cape Hatteras: Where Currents Collide; Science - Marine Mammals: http://www.whoi.edu/science/PO/hatterasfronts/marinemammal.html
Cape Hatteras: Where Currents Collide; Overview - Background: http://www.whoi.edu/science/PO/hatterasfronts/index.html

In addition to the sightings data, effort data and environmental data were recorded. This dataset, therefore, should be used with the effort data.

N/A

Overview

Attributes described below represent those in the original dataset provided by the provider.
Only minimum required attributes are visible and downlodable online. Other attributes may be obtained upon provider's permission unless otherwise noteded below.

Attributes in dataset provided

Attribute (table column)	Description
common	Species common name.
scientific	Species scientific name.
tsn	Taxonomic Serial Number defined by ITIS.
rank	Rank such as species, genus and family.
st_no	Sighting No. Sequentially assigned to all species.
date	Date of the sighting.
time	Time of the sighting in 24 hours, local time.
effort	Wether the ship was on effort or off effort.