Introducing a unique animal ID and digital life history museum for wildlife metadata

Funding: C.R. acknowledges funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF9881) and the National Geographic Society (NGS-82515R-20). G.B., R.K., S.C.D. and D.E.-S. acknowledge funding from NASA. A.S. and F.I. acknowledge support from the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowships (grant no. 101027534 and no. 101107666, respectively). S.C.D. acknowledges funding from NASA Ecological Forecasting Program Grant 80NSSC21K1182. A.M.M.S. was supported by an ARC DP DP210103091. This project is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through Grant GBMF10539 to M.W., as well as the Academy for the Protection of Zoo Animals and Wildlife e.V., Germany.1. Over the past five decades, a large number of wild animals have been individually identified by various observation systems and/or temporary tracking methods, providing unparalleled insights into their lives over both time and space. However, so far there is no comprehensive record of uniquely individually identified animals nor where their data and metadata are stored, for example photos, physiological and genetic samples, disease screens, information on social relationships. 2. Databases currently do not offer unique identifiers for living, individual wild animals, similar to the permanent ID labelling for deceased museum specimens. 3. To address this problem, we introduce two new concepts: (1) a globally unique animal ID (UAID) available to define uniquely and individually identified animals archived in any database, including metadata archived at the time of publication; and (2) the digital ‘home’ for UAIDs, the Movebank Life History Museum (MoMu), storing and linking metadata, media, communications and other files associated with animals individually identified in the wild. MoMu will ensure that metadata are available for future generations, allowing permanent linkages to information in other databases. 4. MoMu allows researchers to collect and store photos, behavioural records, genome data and/or resightings of UAIDed animals, encompassing information not easily included in structured datasets supported by existing databases. Metadata is uploaded through the Animal Tracker app, the MoMu website, by email from registered users or through an Application Programming Interface (API) from any database. Initially, records can be stored in a temporary folder similar to a field drawer, as naturalists routinely do. Later, researchers and specialists can curate these materials for individual animals, manage the secure sharing of sensitive information and, where appropriate, publish individual life histories with DOIs. The storage of such synthesized lifetime stories of wild animals under a UAID (unique identifier or ‘animal passport’) will support basic science, conservation efforts and public participation.Peer reviewe

Biological Earth observation with animal sensors

Space-based tracking technology using low-cost miniature tags is now delivering data on fine-scale animal movement at near-global scale. Linked with remotely sensed environmental data, this offers a biological lens on habitat integrity and connectivity for conservation and human health; a global network of animal sentinels of environmen-tal change

A DNA profiling system for conservation management of Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos piscator); population data and system performance from 16 autosomal STRs

Despite the high density of brown bears (Ursus arctos piscator) on the Kamchatka peninsula their genetic variation has not been studied by STR analysis. Our aim was, therefore, to provide population data from the Kamchatka brown bear population applying a validated DNA profiling system. Twelve dinucleotide STRs commonly used in Western-European (WE) populations and four additional ones (G10C, G10J, G10O, G10X), were included. Template input ≥ 0.2 ng was successfully amplified. Measurements of precision, stutter and heterozygous balance showed that markers could be reliably genotyped applying the thresholds used for genotyping WE brown bears. However, locus G10X revealed an ancient allele-specific polymorphism that led to suboptimal amplification of all 174 bp alleles (Kamchatka and WE). Allele frequency estimates and forensic genetic parameters were obtained from 115 individuals successfully identified by genotyping 434 hair samples. All markers met the Hardy-Weinberg and linkage equilibrium expectations, and the power of discrimination ranged from 0.667 to 0.962. The total average probability of identity from the 15 STRs was 1.4 ×10−14 (FST = 0.05) while the total average probability of sibling identity was 6.0 ×10−6. Relationship tests revealed several parent-cub and full sibling pairs demonstrating that the marker set would be valuable for the study of family structures. The population data is the first of its kind from the Kamchatka brown bear population. Population pairwise FST`s revealed moderate genetic differentiation that mirrored the geographic distances to WE populations. The DNA profiling system, providing individual-specific profiles from non-invasive samples, will be useful for future monitoring and conservation purpose

Density of rough-legged buzzards and arctic foxes on Kolguev Island, Russia.

<p>n—number of nesting pairs/breeding pairs documented in each year.</p

Map of Kolguev Island, Russia.

<p>Polygons show the approximate areas surveyed for buzzard nests and fox dens. Red polygon shows the survey area in 2006, green—in 2007, blue—in 2008, purple—in 2011, orange—in 2012 (two polygons), brown—in 2013.</p

Diet of rough-legged buzzards and arctic foxes on Kolguev Island, Russia.

<p>Error line—95% CI. Passer. birds—passerine birds, Reind.—reindeers.</p

Nest initiation dates of white-fronted geese in 2006–2012 on Kolguev Island, Russia.

<p>From the report of the expeditions to Kolguev by Institute for Waterbird and Wetlands Research [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0118740#pone.0118740.ref039" target="_blank">39</a>].</p

Number of the dead reindeers in 2004–2014 on Kolguev Island, Russia.

<p>Number of the dead reindeers in 2004–2014 on Kolguev Island, Russia.</p

Harmonizing circumpolar monitoring of Arctic fox: benefits, opportunities, challenges and recommendations

The biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council has developed pan-Arctic biodiversity monitoring plans to improve our ability to detect, understand and report on long-term change in Arctic biodiversity. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) was identified as a target of future monitoring because of its circumpolar distribution, ecological importance and reliance on Arctic ecosystems. We provide the first exhaustive survey of contemporary Arctic fox monitoring programmes, describing 34 projects located in eight countries. Monitored populations covered equally the four climate zones of the species’ distribution, and there were large differences between populations in long-term trends, multi-annual fluctuations, diet composition, degree of competition with red fox and human interferences. Den density, number of active dens, number of breeding dens and litter size were assessed in almost all populations, while projects varied greatly with respect to monitoring of other variables indicative of population status, ecosystem state or ecosystem function. We review the benefits, opportunities and challenges to increased integration of monitoring projects. We argue that better harmonizing protocols of data collection and data management would allow new questions to be addressed while adding tremendous value to individual projects. However, despite many opportunities, challenges remain. We offer six recommendations that represent decisive progress toward a better integration of Arctic fox monitoring projects. Further, our work serves as a template that can be used to integrate monitoring efforts of other species, thereby providing a key step for future assessments of global biodiversity

Harmonizing circumpolar monitoring of Arctic fox: benefits, opportunities, challenges and recommendations

The biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council has developed pan-Arctic biodiversity monitoring plans to improve our ability to detect, understand and report on long-term change in Arctic biodiversity. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) was identified as a target of future monitoring because of its circumpolar distribution, ecological importance and reliance on Arctic ecosystems. We provide the first exhaustive survey of contemporary Arctic fox monitoring programmes, describing 34 projects located in eight countries. Monitored populations covered equally the four climate zones of the species’ distribution, and there were large differences between populations in long-term trends, multi-annual fluctuations, diet composition, degree of competition with red fox and human interferences. Den density, number of active dens, number of breeding dens and litter size were assessed in almost all populations, while projects varied greatly with respect to monitoring of other variables indicative of population status, ecosystem state or ecosystem function. We review the benefits, opportunities and challenges to increased integration of monitoring projects. We argue that better harmonizing protocols of data collection and data management would allow new questions to be addressed while adding tremendous value to individual projects. However, despite many opportunities, challenges remain. We offer six recommendations that represent decisive progress toward a better integration of Arctic fox monitoring projects. Further, our work serves as a template that can be used to integrate monitoring efforts of other species, thereby providing a key step for future assessments of global biodiversity