TOPERAS: Molehill counts in Montaña Palentina (Spain)

[Description of methods used for collection/generation of data] The purpose of the sampling was to obtain an index of montane water vole (Arvicola amphibius cantabriae) abundance. For this purpose, 278 fixed sampling points (locationID) were chosen in the study area, resampling them every year. The points are located in Meadows and grasslands. The selection was random, using QGIS, with two constraints: they had to be more than 100 m away from each other and that they were less than 500 m from the road. From the year 2023 onwards, 25 other points within forest habitats were selected with the same characteristics. At each points, a 100 m transect was made, parallel to the riverbeds, to maintain constant soil and moisture conditions. Each transect was divided into 20 segments, 5 m long by 5 m wide (2.5 m on each side of the line of advance), and the presence/absence of signs in each segment was noted. In this way, an abundance index was obtained, ranging from 0 (no signs found) to 20 (signs present in all segments). This value correlates with the abundance of the species (Giraudoux et al. 1995). Sampling was repeated annually in late September/early October. Although the target species to be counted was the montane water vole, the presence of Lusitanian pine vole (Microtus lusitanicus), Iberian mole (Talpa occidentalis), cattle and horse was also noted. The molehills of the wild species were differentiated by their characteristics of size, shape, entrance and disposition (Miñarro et al. 2012). For domestic species, the presence/absence of dung in each section was noted.

[EN] This dataset provides the raw results of montane water vole (Arvicola amphibius cantabriae) surveys in 303 fixed points where molehills were counted annually between 2016 and 2023. The points are located in Meadows, grasslands and forests. The main objective of the survey was to obtain a relative abundance index of water vole, but presence of other species (Lusitanian pine vole, Microtus lusitanicus, Spanish mole, Talpa occidentalis, cattle and horse) was also sampled. This dataset will be actualized with new data obtained uring the following years.

[ES] Este conjunto de datos proporciona los resultados brutos de los censos de rata topera (Arvicola amphibius cantabriae) en 303 puntos fijos donde se contaron toperas anualmente entre 2016 y 2023. Los puntos están ubicados en prados, pastizales y bosques. El principal objetivo del muestreo era obtener un índice de abundancia relativa de la rata topera, pero también se muestreó la presencia de otras especies (topillo lusitano, Microtus lusitanicus, topo ibérico, Talpa occidentalis, vacas y caballos). Este conjunto de datos se actualizará con nuevos datos obtenidos en los próximos años.

This study was partially supported by a contract of collaboration between Fundación Reina Sofia and CSIC, M.Torres Diseños Industriales SAU and Jaguar Land Rover España.

1_location_table_TOPERAS.xlsx 2_event_table_TOPERAS.xlsx 3_molehills_count_table_TOPERAS.xlsx 4_cattle_horse_dung_count_table_TOPERAS.xlsx

Peer reviewed