Andrews, C.; Dick, J.
UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) Cairngorm environmental and phenological data derived from fixed-point repeat photography, 2002-2019
Cite this dataset as:
Andrews, C.; Dick, J. (2021). UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) Cairngorm environmental and phenological data derived from fixed-point repeat photography, 2002-2019. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/8e30cead-700c-425c-841f-74c70659666a
Download/Access
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This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
https://doi.org/10.5285/8e30cead-700c-425c-841f-74c70659666a
This dataset includes the dates and/or duration of all the environmental and phenological events that could be derived from a series of photographs taken by a fixed-point repeat camera system at the UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) site in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.
The data covers the timing of permanent winter snow fall and subsequent spring melt on northern and eastern facing hill slopes between 2002 and 2019, as well as invertebrate (spittlebug spittlemass) and plant (heather flowering, scots pine leaf flushing) phenological events between 2010 and 2019.
Three photographs were taken on a daily basis to maximise the chances of cloud free images, with the clearest image used for analysis. Event detection was generally achieved using manual assessment, but heather flowering showed a high degree of subjectivity, and so an automated pixel colour counting method was used to determine the peak flowering season.
This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability.
The data covers the timing of permanent winter snow fall and subsequent spring melt on northern and eastern facing hill slopes between 2002 and 2019, as well as invertebrate (spittlebug spittlemass) and plant (heather flowering, scots pine leaf flushing) phenological events between 2010 and 2019.
Three photographs were taken on a daily basis to maximise the chances of cloud free images, with the clearest image used for analysis. Event detection was generally achieved using manual assessment, but heather flowering showed a high degree of subjectivity, and so an automated pixel colour counting method was used to determine the peak flowering season.
This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability.
Publication date: 2021-10-08
View numbers valid from 01 June 2023 Download numbers valid from 20 June 2024 (information prior to this was not collected)
Format
Comma-separated values (CSV)
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Temporal information
Temporal extent
2002-01-01 to 2019-12-31
Provenance & quality
Where data were missed on the automatic repeat photography system due to obscuring weather or a system failure, secondary manual photographs taken during weekly site visits were used to provide bridging data of snow conditions. Where melt day occurred between two weekly images, the day of melt was subjectively estimated based on size of remnant patches in the final image containing snow; and would carry an error of ±3-4 days.
The camera system was upgraded in 2010. Phenological data could not be established on the earlier camera system due to image quality issues in the foreground. However, the change in camera had no impact on the detection of snow events pre- and post- upgrade, so the full time-series is useable.
Data was checked for obvious errors where values might have fallen outside of an expected range. As most of this dataset involved manual assessment, the event detection date is as perceived by that surveyor. A different surveyor might find a slightly different date for some variables. Surveyor differences have not been assessed.
The camera system was upgraded in 2010. Phenological data could not be established on the earlier camera system due to image quality issues in the foreground. However, the change in camera had no impact on the detection of snow events pre- and post- upgrade, so the full time-series is useable.
Data was checked for obvious errors where values might have fallen outside of an expected range. As most of this dataset involved manual assessment, the event detection date is as perceived by that surveyor. A different surveyor might find a slightly different date for some variables. Surveyor differences have not been assessed.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Cite this dataset as:
Andrews, C.; Dick, J. (2021). UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) Cairngorm environmental and phenological data derived from fixed-point repeat photography, 2002-2019. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/8e30cead-700c-425c-841f-74c70659666a
Related
This dataset is included in the following collections
Correspondence/contact details
Christopher Andrews
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Bush Estate
Penicuik
Midlothian
EH26 0QB
UNITED KINGDOM
enquiries@ceh.ac.uk
Penicuik
Midlothian
EH26 0QB
UNITED KINGDOM
Authors
Other contacts
Rights holder
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk