Instructions for Field Inventory of Fauna

Serbia, Montenegro and Natura 2000: Strengthening the Capacity of Governments and Civil Sector to Adapt to EU Nature Protection Acquis

Listed under Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC Annexes

• 
  Topographical map of Montenegro in 1:25 000 scale or aerial photos of the mapped site if such are available
  
• 
  Clip board
  
• 
  Fauna Inventory Form(s) (see Appendix 2)
  
• 
  Pencil(s)
  
• 
  GPS
  
• 
  Digital camera
  

Follow the steps as below:

1. 
   Record the Name of mapper, in case more persons doing field inventory input all names. Person responsible for particular species data is first.
   
2. 
   Record the Date the survey was conducted in format dd.mm.yyyy; eg. 08.04.2009.
   
3. 
   Record the mapped species Locality into the hard copy A3 format map or aerial photo by drawing polygon, line or point, which represents the mapped locality. Put number to the drawn locality. On one A3 map sheet each locality should have a unique number (refer also to Appendix 3).
   
4. 
   Code of the A3 map sheet and number of the locality have to be written into the inventory form.
   
5. 
   Optionally record X, Y coordinates of the exact position of the species locality in decimal degrees (e.g. 33.2514) according to the map or the GPS.
   
6. 
   Area: Record the area (in m²) of the mapped species locality. This information is mandatory if the locality is drawn into map sheet as a point (see step 3) and/or its precise coordinates are recorded by GPS (see step 4).
   
7. 
   Width: Record the width (in m) of the mapped species locality. This information is mandatory if the locality is drawn into map sheet as a line (see step 3).
   
8. 
   Note is a place for any comments.
   
9. 
   Taxon: Fill out the name of taxon from the list of target HD Annex fauna species (Appendix 1). At least one HD Annex fauna species should be recorded per locality. Other (non Annex) species can be recorded here too, but it is not mandatory.
   
10. 
    Population: There are three options how to provide information on size of species population in rank of decreasing preciseness:
    

1. 
   A. Number of individuals: Estimate if it is feasible species population number use suffix (i) for individuals or (p) for pairs,
   
2. 
   B. Population range: Use the ranges1-5, 6-10, 11-50, 51-100, 101-250, 251-500, 501-1000, 1001-10.000, > 10.000
   
3. 
   C. Descriptive abundance: C - common, R – rare, V – very rare
   

11. 
    Character of occurrence: Indicate the character of occurrence for each species. As many fauna species are migratory, the site may be important for different aspects of the life cycle of species. These are categorized below:
    

1. 
   Resident – to be found throughout the year on the site
   
2. 
   Breeding/reproducing – use the site to breed and raise young
   
3. 
   Staging – site used on migration or for moulting outside the breeding grounds
   
4. 
   Wintering – uses the site during the winter
   

12. 
    TOP locality: Mark whether the mapped locality is a TOP locality for the respective species in Montenegro according to your subjective view. Use YES/NO options. You can assign TOP locality status to max. 10 sites for each species. As a TOP locality the locality with largest or most vital population of the species or with the best (habitat) conditions for the long-term survival of the species population on the site can be considered.
    
13. 
    Conservation status: Degree of conservation of the features of the habitat which are important for the species concerned and possibilities for restoration. Assign the conservation status to the species population on the site based on ‘best expert judgement’ with the following options:
    

1. 
   Conservation excellent = elements in an excellent condition, independent of the grading of the possibility of restoration
   
2. 
   Good conservation = elements well conserved independent of the grading of the possibility of restoration; or elements in average or partially degraded condition and easy to restore
   
3. 
   Average or reduced conservation = all other combinations
   

You will be requested to deliver the data obtained during the field inventory in both analogue (hard copy maps and field inventory forms) and digital format (database). For data digitalisation a special database (client database) will be provided to each mapper. The structure of the database is similar as that of the field inventory form and is shown in Appendix 4.

The database will be equipped with integrated GIS module which will allow you to digitalise the localities from the hard copy maps into the GIS, directly in the database environment.

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

Appendix 4

	Prepared by Milan Janák and Rastislav Lasák
	DAPHNE – Institute of Applied Ecology, 2011