Wildlife Mortality Database (EPIZOO) Metadata

(also available in parsable .txt file)

Metadata:

• Identification Information
• Data Quality Information
• Spatial Data Organization Information
• Entity and Attribute Information
• Distribution Information
• Metadata Reference Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Publication_Date: Unpublished Material

Title: Wildlife Mortality Database (EPIZOO)

Edition: Version 1

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: database

Description:

Abstract:

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center's (NWHC) EPIZOO database is a long term data set that documents over 25 years of information on epizootics (epidemics) in wildlife. EPIZOO tracks die-offs throughout the United States and territories, primarily in migratory birds and endangered species. Data include locations, dates, species involved, history, population numbers, total sick and dead, and diagnostic information. Regular data are available from 1975 to the present; some data are available from earlier years. These data represent the most comprehensive documentation of the geographic occurrence of diseases in free-ranging wildlife in existence today. The data are collected from a reporting network developed at NWHC as well as from collaborators across the North American continent.

Purpose:

Natural resource managers, regulators, the scientific community and the public sector rely on data referencing contaminants, causes of mortality, epizootic events and disease agents to help make sound decisions regarding disease prevention and control, ecosystem management, habitat restoration, threatened and endangered species recovery planning and pesticide regulation, and to determine areas for future scientific investigation.

Supplemental_Information:

EPIZOO is network-based, allowing simultaneous access by multiple NWHC users; it is not currently accessible outside the Center. However, with appropriate approval, requests for searches of the database will be honored by the system manager. Query and reporting capabilities are well-developed, but interfaces to other portions of the overall NWHC wildlife mortality information database (e.g. DIAGDATA) are still under development. NOTE: Information in the database has been collected from numerous qualified sources. Prior to 1980, data include some FWS and other published accounts for a 30 year retrospective. As awareness and cooperation have increased so have reports, which may cause the data to appear skewed or reflect increasing mortality when such may not be the case.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 19750701

Ending_Date: Present

Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Status:

Progress: In work

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: Continually

Spatial_Domain:

Description:

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -170.333

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -52.667

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 83.167

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.5

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: wildlife

Theme_Keyword: wildlife health

Theme_Keyword: avian

Theme_Keyword: bird

Theme_Keyword: mammal

Theme_Keyword: endangerd species

Theme_Keyword: disease

Theme_Keyword: morbidity

Theme_Keyword: mortality

Theme_Keyword: epizootic

Access_Constraints:

Outside electronic access to the database is not yet available. Access is limited to written requests for specific information, addressed to the primary contact person. Some information in this datafile is part of confidential legal cases; it may be used in pending litigation and cannot be released.

Use_Constraints:

Specific use constraints will be identified/addressed at the time of the request. Acknowledgement of NWHC is requested in products derived from this data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Kathryn A. Converse

Contact_Organization:

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Contact_Position: Wildlife Disease Specialist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 6006 Schroeder Road

City: Madison

State_or_Province: WI

Postal_Code: 53711-6223

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 608.270.2445

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 608.270.2415

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kathy_converse@usgs.gov

Hours_of_Service:

8AM - 4:30PM Monday through Friday, except holidays

Contact_Instructions:

Please limit requests to written applications for specific data

Data_Set_Credit:

Dataset developed and maintained by NWHC personnel with help from federal, state, and local agencies and private individuals.

Native_Data_Set_Environment:

Microsoft Access2000

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Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

The information in EPIZOO is derived from reports from external sources. An attempt is made to contact sources and verify information; however, the accuracy of data in these reports cannot always be determined. All data are then summarized and entered in a standard format. Once the information is entered, several systems are in place to ensure data consistancy. Also, reports are published on a quarterly basis, allowing for external review.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Database records are checked routinely to ensure data integrity.

Completeness_Report:

The following are included in the master database but are not published: pending legal cases, sensitive information or incomplete cases.

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

There has been no statistical analysis or manipulation, other than quality control tests, performed on these tests

Process_Date:

Not Complete

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Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Indirect_Spatial_Reference:

FIPS codes for state and county

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Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

The database is made up of files which contain two types of fields: repeating and non-repeating. The repeating fields are those fields in which more than one entry can be made. Non-repeating fields include: tracking number, NWHC contact, date of contact, beginning and ending dates for the mortality, region, flyway, status (open or closed) and final mortality. Repeating fields include: contact (person(s) reporting event), dieoff location (includes nearest town, county and state, plus latitude and longitude. NOTE: lat/long fields have no entries to date), diagnoses, and species involved (includes estimated populations at the event site, known sick, known dead and estimated dead for each species involved). The main file also contains a comment field where the history, events and comments involved with the die-off are kept. It is important to note that information is not always available for all fields. For example, the total population for each species is rarely input because the information is not available.

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

Kidd, G.A. 1995. Epizootiological Database Coding Dictionary. National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI. 30 pp.

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Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Kathryn A. Converse

Contact_Organization:

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Contact_Position: Wildlife Disease Specialist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 6006 Schroeder Road

City: Madison

State_or_Province: WI

Postal_Code: 53711-6223

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 608.270.2445

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 608.270.2415

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kathy_converse@usgs.gov

Hours_of_Service:

8AM - 4:30PM Monday through Friday, except holidays

Contact_Instructions:

Please limit requests to written applications for specific data

Resource_Description:

These data may be referenced by the descriptor 'EPIZOO' for the Epizootiological Database.

Distribution_Liability:

Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from a U.S. Geological Survey server, and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein.

Standard_Order_Process:

Non-digital_Form:

Information may be requested via letter or electronic mail to the contact individual referenced above.

Fees: None

Ordering_Instructions:

Written requests for specific information from the Epizootiological Database (EPIZOO) should be addressed to the primary contact person noted above.

Turnaround:

Requests for information will be processed in as timely a manner as possible. All response times are tied to the availabilty of personnel to process the request.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name:

MDB (Access) files on disk

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Offline_Option:

Offline_Media: 3.5" diskette or CD

Recording_Format: PC compatible

Compatibility_Information:

PC compatible computers running Windows95/98

Fees: None

Ordering_Instructions:

Written requests for specific information from the epizootiological database (EPIZOO) should be addressed to the primary contact person noted above.

Turnaround:

Requests for information will be processed in as timely a manner as possible. All response times are tied to the availability of personnel to process the request.

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Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 19950801

Metadata_Review_Date: 20031027

Metadata_Future_Review_Date: 20040601

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Karen M. Cunningham

Contact_Organization:

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

Contact_Position: Computer Specialist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 6006 Schroeder Road

City: Madison

State_or_Province: WI

Postal_Code: 53711-6223

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 608.270.2423

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 608.270.2415

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: karen_cunningham@usgs.gov

Hours_of_Service:

8:30AM - 4:30PM Monday through Friday, except holidays

Metadata_Standard_Name:

Content Standard for National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time

Metadata_Access_Constraints: None

Metadata_Use_Constraints: None

Metadata_Security_Information:

Metadata_Security_Classification_System: None

Metadata_Security_Classification: Unclassified

Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: None