Parks Canada

Elk Island National Park conducts an ungulate aerial surveys of the entire park, to census the elk and moose populations. The surveys are carried out in the late fall or winter annually. Park staff also conducts opportunistic counts of elk and moose over the summer and obtain demographic...

Elk Island National Park annually conducts an aerial census of bison populations of the entire park, as well as opportunistically surveying herd composition. Bison population data is in the same database as elk and moose populations.

The Elk Island National Park annually monitors the change in amphibian occupancy by using call counts, including data collected by citizen scientists.

Forest birds in Elk Island National Park are surveyed annually along 24 established routes, with 4 stations along each route. The stations are spaced 400-600 meters apart. Sampling occurs between late May and early July. Forest bird surveys have occurred in the Park since 1985, but current...

Elk Island National Park measures beaver abundance and distribution every three years in the fall using aerial surveys to count beaver food caches.

Elk Island National Park monitors primary productivity to determine the health of forest vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery, specifically, the Landsat Shortwave Infrared (SWIR2) and Near Infrared (NIR) bands. Analysis is...

Elk Island National Park monitors primary productivity to determine the health of grassland vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery, specifically, the Landsat Shortwave Infrared (SWIR2) and Near Infrared (NIR) bands. Analysis is...

The Elk Island National Park monitors the lake water quality annually in two lakes by measuring parameters such as: nutrients, heavy metals, major ions, physical characteristics, and pollutants/contaminants.

The Elk Island National Park monitors the functions and health of grassland and forest ecosystems that are influenced by herbivory. This includes monitoring vegetation structure, intensity of browsing, primary productivity, soil/site stability, capture and beneficial release of water, functional...

Elk Island National Park uses the Area Burned Condition Class (ABCC) method to evaluate the ecological impact of fire on the landscape and the success of utilizing fire to maintain a mosaic of vegetative composition and structure for healthier populations of native species. Area burned is derived...

Elk Island National Park uses the Area Burned Condition Class (ABCC) method to evaluate the ecological impact of fire on the landscape and the success of utilizing fire to maintain a mosaic of vegetative composition and structure for healthier populations of native species. Area burned is derived...

Elk Island National Park monitors spatial changes to open water features throughout the park. This measure relies on an unsupervised classification of remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat). Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using images from mid-July.

Elk Island National Park uses land cover classification to determine spatial changes of grassland vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on a supervised classification of remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat). Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using...

Elk Island National Park uses land cover classification to determine spatial changes of forest vegetation throughout the park. This measure relies on a supervised classification of remotely-sensed multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat). Analysis is performed roughly every five years, using...

Odonata monitoring is conducted in four shallow water ponds within the wetland ecosystems of PEI National Park. Park staff collect exuviae (the remains of aquatic larval stage exoskeleton) of metamorphosed larvae from the order odonata twice per year: in the early summer (June) and late summer...

The abundance of bank swallow (Riparia riparia) nest holes within cliff and bank habitats along PEI National Park coastline is monitored. Previously, large historical colonies were surveyed annually, and every five years a complete census of the entire park shoreline was completed. As of 2010, a...

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an alien invasive species that is considered a threat to wetland plant community biodiversity. In PEI National Park, annual monitoring focuses on distribution within the park and individual wetlands, as well as density once detected. Assessing management...

Freshwater ponds are monitored annually for fish species diversity and American eel abundance (catch per unit effort, or CUE), and American eel total length. Hoop traps and gee-type minnow traps are used to sample fish communities in four ponds within PEI National Park. Each pond is sampled over...

Georgian Bay Islands National Park uses point counts to monitor forest birds on Beausoleil Island; this measure focuses on the abundance of five common songbird species and overall diversity.

Hydrological inputs and outputs determine water depth, flow patterns, and duration and frequency of flooding. The seasonal pattern of changes in a wetland’s water level is called the hydroperiod. Year-to-year variability of hydroperiod is related to climate and site specific conditions....