Dataset: National Park Species Dataset

Context

The National Park Service publishes a database of animal and plant species identified in individual national parks and verified by evidence — observations, vouchers, or reports that document the presence of a species in a park. All park species records are available to the public on the National Park Species portal; exceptions are made for sensitive, threatened, or endangered species when widespread distribution of information could pose a risk to the species in the park.

Content

Geography: USA

Time period: Present

Unit of analysis: National Park Species Dataset

National Park species lists provide information on the presence and status of species in our national parks. These species lists are works in progress and the absence of a species from a list does not necessarily mean the species is absent from a park. The time and effort spent on species inventories varies from park to park, which may result in data gaps. Species taxonomy changes over time and reflects regional variations or preferences; therefore, records may be listed under a different species name.

Each park species record includes a species ID, park name, taxonomic information, scientific name, one or more common names, record status, occurrence (verification of species presence in park), nativeness (species native or foreign to park), abundance (presence and visibility of species in park), seasonality (season and nature of presence in park), and conservation status (species classification according to US Fish & Wildlife Service). Taxonomic classes have been translated from Latin to English for species categorization; order, family, and scientific name (genus, species, subspecies) are in Latin.

The dataset we're exploring, the species at the most visited National Parks in the USA! NPSpecies contains species listed by National Parks maintained by National Parks Service (NPS). Given the size of the dataset, we're focusing on the 15 most visited parks. The data comes from NPS

Variables

Variable	Description
ParkCode	National Park Code.
ParkName	National Park Full Name.
CategoryName	Species Category.
Order	Species Order.
Family	Species Family.
TaxonRecordStatus	Whether or not the taxon is active.
SciName	Scientific name for the species.
CommonNames	Common name of the species.
Synonyms	Other names the species may go by.
ParkAccepted	Whether or not the park accepts this species.
Sensitive	Whether or not the species is 'sensitive'.
RecordStatus	Whether or not NPS approved the species.
Occurrence	The current status of existence or presence of each species in each park. Applicable only to scientific names with Park Accepted Status of "Accepted". Possible values reflect a combination of confidence, availability, and currency of evidence.
OccurrenceTags	Additional sighting informational tag.
Nativeness	Whether or not the species is native.
NativenessTags	Additional native informational tag.
Abundance	How abundant is the species in the park.
NPSTags	NPSpecies system-wide attributes and tags are standard categories and designations that apply across all parks and species.
ParkTags	Parks can create their own custom attributes, called “park tags,” and apply them to their park species records. For example, perhaps a park wants to set up a list of spring wildflowers, or identify the park subunits in which species occur.
References	four columns that display the number of associated evidence records that substantiate the status of the species in the park: Observations, Vouchers, References, and External Links. A document, publication, article, database, or other information resource that contains information on one or more park species.
Observations	four columns that display the number of associated evidence records that substantiate the status of the species in the park: Observations, Vouchers, References, and External Links. An observation is subjective evidence (no physical proof taken) as to the identity and the location of an organism.
Vouchers	four columns that display the number of associated evidence records that substantiate the status of the species in the park: Observations, Vouchers, References, and External Links. Physical evidence used to confirm identity and prove an organism was found in a particular location. Forms of physical evidence include a voucher specimen at a museum or herbarium (including whole or piece of organism), or in some cases a photo image (i.e. digital or hardcopy).
ExternalLinks	four columns that display the number of associated evidence records that substantiate the status of the species in the park: Observations, Vouchers, References, and External Links.
TEStatus	indicates any FWS Threatened or Endangered species status.
StateStatus	Many states and US territories maintain their own lists of species of concern, or may have other status categories that are assigned to species within a state/territory.
OzoneSensitiveStatus	Plant species found within National Park boundaries that are known to have a negative response to high ozone exposure. Ground-level ozone can cause visible leaf injury (e.g. bleaching or dark stippling), growth and yield reductions, and altered sensitivity to stressors (e.g. pests, diseases, or drought).
GRank	Global ranks assess the level of rarity or abundance of a taxon throughout its range.
SRank	State ranks assess rarity or abundance of a taxon within a state.

Acknowledgements

The National Park Service species list database is managed and updated by staff at individual national parks and the systemwide Inventory and Monitoring department.

Source: NPS

•TidyTuesday • frankiethull • NPSPECIES USER GUIDE

Users interested in getting this data via web services, please go to: NPS Website

National Park Species Dataset

About this Dataset