| Summary: | Fauna database for Svalbard, some from Jan Mayen and a little from open sea. Text below is extracted from [Norsk Polarinstitutt Årbok 1982: 55–57](http://www.nb.no/idtjeneste/URN:NBN:no-bibsys_brage_46890) (1983): FRIDTJOF MEHLUM: A DATABASE FOR OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANIMAL LIFE OF SVALBARD The observations of the animal life in Svalbard made by members of different scientific expeditions and other visitors to the islands are often reported in odd journals or expedition reports. As an institute responsible for biological mapping and research conceming management of the biological resources in the Svalbard area, Norsk Polarinstitutt gathers all available observation data on the different animal species in this area. A comprehensive faunistic paper on the birds of Svalbard was published by Dr. Herman Løvenskiold in his thesis 'Avifauna Svalbardensis' which appeared in 1964. His work, however, included only observations made before 1960. In later years the activity of biologists and other skilled observers has increased remarkedly, and much new faunistic information is reported. The most interesting records reported to Norsk Polarinstitutt have been published annually in the Institute's year books. In the middle of the l 970s the amount of faunistic information had increased so much that the Institute decided to establish a database to cope with it all. The database is now operative in its first phase. It contains both single observations and systematically sampled data from research groups. So far, only birds and mammals are included in the base. Most of the observations are from the period after 1960, but some are from earlier literature (e.g. Løvenskiold 1964 ). The main applications of the database are: 1. Mapping of distribution and abundance of different animal species. 2. Mapping of geographical areas with concentrations of animal life, such as bird cliffs, hauling out and whelping grounds for seals. In other words, areas where the animal life can be threatened by disturbances or pollution. 3. Supply of information about the reproduction and different types of biometrical data of the species concemed. " The information stored in the database can be handled by easy computer commands to provide the desired tables and maps. One application could be to select all available observations of a species made during certain specified months of the year, another to select all animal observations recorded in a limited geographical area. A practical example of the latter case would appear in connection with a presumptive future oil spill along the coast of Spitsbergen. From the database one can easily select the coastal areas with animal life of special conservation value, and put all efforts into these areas to protect the animals from damage or to minimize the damage. At the end of 1982 the database comprised about 4700 observations from the land areas of Svalbard. In addition a comprehensive material on the pelagic distribution of sea birds and marine mammals in the seas and ice covered areas around Svalbard will be included in the base in the near future. This information was collected by Norsk Polarinstiutt in the years 1980-82. An example of distribution maps based on these observations is presented as Fig. 1. Here the distribution of the Briinnich's guillemot Uria lomiva during the two expedition cruises by M/S 'Lance' in July - August 1982, is shown. The database is currently being expanded and will be annually updated to comprise all available records of different species of birds and mammals. The base will be available to researchers, institutions, and other users. For foreign users, the outputs can be supplied in English.
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