Seven watersheds in southwestern Ontario, Canada, are covered by this dataset. It contains species-specific mussel abundance and population trajectory data from 51 monitoring sites across the Ausable, Bayfield, Grand, Maitland, Saugeen, Sydenham, and Thames rivers. The data was collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and partners between 1999 and 2024, with sites sampled on a 5-10 year cycle.
Use Cases
- Analyzing population trajectories for specific mussel species based on repeated site surveys
- Comparing mussel abundance across different watersheds based on the 51 monitoring sites
- Studying long-term biodiversity changes based on data spanning 25 years
- Modeling species distribution and habitat suitability based on watershed-specific monitoring
Strengths
- 51 monitoring sites provide spatial coverage across seven distinct watersheds
- Data spans 25 years (1999-2024), offering a long-term ecological perspective
- Sampling was repeated on a 5-10 year cycle, with some sites sampled up to three times
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
Provenance
- Source
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority
- Collection Method
- Field monitoring at established sites across watersheds.
- Time Range
- 1999-2024
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-08 20:02:22.188846; freshness should be verified
- Geography
- Seven watersheds in southwestern Ontario, Canada: Ausable River, Bayfield River, Grand River, Maitland River, Saugeen River, Sydenham River, Thames River