Protocols

Protocols are standardised ways of collecting data. The methodology to follow depends on each study. Protocols are only available when a Local Portal supports them. Note not all partners support the same protocols.

To access a protocol, an administrator needs to give you access, and the coordinator of the protocol will give you guidelines on how to conduct the survey. You will be responsible to survey the site assigned to you following the protocol guidelines. However, not all partners give you access automatically to the protocol in NaturaList. While you will always have access to protcols assigned to you through local portals, an administrator will have to grant you access to it through NaturaList in some occasions.

Submit observations.

Access the protocol as if entering non protocoled observations (+ icon at the bottom right corner, see right image). You will have as many entries as the number of protocoled census you are registered for. The ones in white are the ones activated for the species list you choose. The ones in grey are linked to another species list and are not activated until you modify it (see image Protocols. Main menu as an example). Click on the protocol you need.

 

 

Protocol settings

Before starting to enter data in a protocol, you may have to set some parameters:

• List of species
  

Menu > Preferences > Species > Choice of species.

• Parameters specific to certain protocols.
  

Menu > Preferences > Protocols (see image below).

List of species

The list of species selected in your device has to be the one from the country the protocol takes place. If your protocol involves more than one taxonomic group, select the appropriate species list for all taxa involved.

For example, if counting birds in Germany under the Waterbird census protocol, your list for birds should be that of Germany. If your protocol involves birds and mammals in France, you should select the french species list for both birds and mammals.

To select the appropriate list go to Menu > Tools > Preferences > Species > Choice of species.

Keyboard settings for mapping

This section will only appear in Menu > Preferences > Protocols if you have access to country-specific protocols using a tablet interface with cartography:

Breeding Waterbirds
CBBM in Protected areas
Common Breeding Bird Survey
Grey Partridge
Meadow Birds
Reed Breeding Species Census
Semi-Common Territorial Species census
Shorebirds, Anatidae, Grebes and Coots breeding
Private Territory Mapping

Choose one of the options to select the configuration of your keyboard (see image Keyboard configuration for mapping).

Enter data

Open the menu as for Submitting records and choose the protocol you want to use. Active protocols are recognizable by their their corresponding colourful symbol (same as in the web interface), while inactive ones are identified by a generic protocol icon (see image below). Change your list of species to active/deactivate protocols by going to Menu > Preferences > Species > Choice of species and synchronise it to the country granted you access to the protocol you wish to enter data to.

If you are registered for only one site, you will access directly to the next step: Start of list.
If you have more than one site to survey, it will list all your protocol sites (see image below).

1. Sort your protocol site by Site name, National code or Local code.

2. Click on the name to go directly to the next step Start of list.

3. Click on the arrow to get directions to your protocol location. It will open google maps on a new window.

Start of list

Enter general information before starting the protocol (see image below). Fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory. Fields available are protocol dependent and may differ from one country to another, even within the same protocol. Visit wiki section Web interface > Protocols > Preparation and data > Add observations > Starting the protocol for a list of all possible fields.

Comment

You may enter a comment if you find it appropriate.

Record the trace

Check if you want NaturaList to record your track. You will see a reminder to set your GPS on "High precision" and your power saving off for NaturaList.

Go to Main menu > Preferences > Location > GPS mode > Continuous (high reactivity) to set the right GPS mode (see wiki section Mobile interface > Getting started > Preferences > Location > GPS Mode on how to do it).

Click OK to continue and check if you wish not to see the reminder again. Check Do not ask again and keep this choice for future entries if you want to set Record the trace as the default option (see image below). Click OK to continue without setting Record the trace as the default option.

After synchronisation, visualise your track at the local portal by:

· Clicking on any species from the list as if for editing, and selecting Go to website > Edit Place tab. See image Example of records that belong to a list.

· Logging into the website and going to edit your own data. Click on any observation belonging to the list, and select the Edit place tab. See image Example of records that belong to a list.

Download your trace after synchronisation as described in Web interface > Export your data > Exporting your trace.

Hide all records from the public

Check if you want to keep your records privately. This will not prevent administrators to see them and contact you if necessary, but other users of NaturaList will not see your records.

No species were seen

Check if your survey did not provide any data. Surveys with no species are also important results! It will mean you followed the established methodology, and therefore your survey is valid, but no birds were present. They can indicate major population changes and are of extreme importance for conservation purposes.

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Click Next when done.

Entering records

Enter observations as if with a detailed list.

Place

Map with your position (yellow smiley, see image below).
Place the red marker (observation position) where the individual, or group of individuals, are observed.

· To report observations outside of the ongoing protocol, pause it (see image below) and enter data normally (options explained in wiki section Mobile interface> Naturalist for Android > Submitting records).

· To report a protocoled species outside of the study area (ie. a lek has changed position), click on the observation's position and confirm when prompted.

· After entering the first record, activate/deactivate (active when orange, inactive when yellow) the summary icon to see species name and associated information from already entered records (see image below). Know more about the summary of species in a map at wiki section Mobile interface > Navigating the map > Understanding a summary of observations.

· Click on the notebook icon at the bottom to see a list of all records on the ongoing protocol.

To see how to navigate the map, see wiki section Navigating the map.

Species

Enter species 'by search' or using protocol shortcuts when available, as explained in wiki section Mobile interface > Entering records > Directly in the field > Step 2: Species.

See wiki section Mobile interface > Shortcuts to learn more about shortcuts and how to create them.

Number of individuals

Enter number of individuals and precision count.

Visit Mobile interface > Entering records > Directly in the field > Number of individuals if necessary.

Extra protocol

Enter additional information regarding nests.

Visit wiki section Mobile interface > Submitting records > Directly in the field (+) > Additional information > Extra protocol for details.

Plus

Enter additional information as if with a detailed list.

See wiki section Mobile interface > Submitting records > Directly in the field (+) > Step 4: Additional information on how to do it, if necessary.

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When done, click Save. It will take you to the Place screen to continue entering observations.

Ending the list

To finish the survey,

1. Stop recording: click the stop icon at the top right corner of the Place screen (see image below). You will be prompted to confirm.

2. Adjust time: If necessary, adjust starting or ending time by clicking on the time button. See wiki section Mobile interface > Submitting records > Later > Date/Time to know how to modify the clock.

3. Fill in / modify details: Add or modify a comment if necessary, or enter additional information when requested.

4. Choose type of list: Indicate which type of list you recorded. Visit Various > Glossary to know he meaning of each of them, if necessary.

Remember to synchronise your data as soon as possible after entering to avoid loosing it.

Editing records and/or protocols

To edit records within a protocol, or to edit the protocol's general parameters, visit wiki section Mobile interface > Editing records > Editing protocols.

Deleting records and/or protocols

To delete records within a protocol, or to delete the whole protocol, visit wiki section Mobile interface > Editing records > Deleting protocols.

Browsing records

See your protocolled records:

• Before synchronisation
  

In the phone. See more details in wiki section Accessing your own records.

• After synchronisation
  

In Mine. See more details in wiki section Accessing your own records.

In Under verification (only if any data of the protocol needs more information)

In the local portal. Go to the corresponding local portal, Menu > Explore > All my observations.

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