Biological and Ecological Characteristics of Terrestrial Vertebrate Species Residing in Estuaries

• Main Author: Barnett Rattner, U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: USGS Science Data Catalog
• Subjects: database; species characterizations; contaminant exposure data; biological characteristics; contaminant response data; United States; world; Alligator; Malaclemys terrapin; Chelydra; Nerodia; Haematopus; Haliaeetus; Nycticorax; Ardea; Egretta; Rynchops; Sterna; Larus; Pelecanus; Phalacrocorax; Pandion; Plegadis; Catoptrophorus semipalmatus; Anas; Aythya; Cygnus; Oxyura; Dendrocygna; Rallus; Tachycineta; Tadarida; Mustela; Ondatra; Rana; Alligator mississippiensis; Chelydra serpentina; Nerodia rhombifer; Haematopus palliatus; Haliaeetus leucocephalus; Nycticorax nycticorax; Ardea herodias; Egretta tricolor; Egretta thula; Rynchops niger; Sterna hirundo; Sterna nilotica; Larus argentatus; Larus atricilla; Pelecanus occidentalis; Phalacrocorax auritus; Pandion haliaetus; Plegadis chihi; Anas rubripes; Anas fulvigula; Aythya marila; Aythya affinis; redhead; Cygnus olor; Oxyura jamaicensis; Dendrocygna bicolor; Rallus longirostris; Tachycineta bicolor; Tadarida brasiliensis; Mustela vison; Ondatra zibethicus; Rana sphenocephala; Olor; Terrapin
• Online Access: https://search.dataone.org/view/43c27d1e-f360-46cf-bff2-a404418466ca

The Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program is designed to assess and monitor the effects of environmental contaminants on biological resources, particularly those under the stewardship of the Department of the Interior. BEST examines contaminant issues at national, regional, and local scales, and uses field monitoring techniques and information assessment tools tailored to each scale. As part of this program, the threat of contaminants and other anthropogenic activities to terrestrial vertebrates residing in or near to Atlantic coast estuarine ecosystems is being evaluated by data synthesis and field activities. One of the objectives of this project is to evaluate the relative sensitivity and suitability of various wildlife species for regional contaminant monitoring of estuaries and ecological risk assessment.