Species occurrence data from the Range-Wide Bull Trout eDNA Project

These data include 2014 - 2020 eDNA field sample points indicating lab results for presence or absence of bull trout. Sample sites are spaced at a 1 kilometer interval throughout the historical range of bull trout. eDNA stream samples are collected and species presence/absence is determined by analyses at the National Genomics Center. Results are recorded in the feature attribute table of the eDNA sample site shapefile. One point feature in the shapefile was generated for each 1 kilometer sample point in the bull trout eDNA feature class. Where multiple samples were collected at a single eDNA sample site, replicate point features will occur at a single location in the shapefile. The bull trout is an ESA-listed species with a historical range that encompasses many waters across the Northwest. Though once abundant, bull trout have declined in many locations and are at risk from a changing climate, nonnative species, and habitat degradation. Informed conservation planning relies on sound and precise information about the distribution of bull trout in thousands of streams, but gathering this information is a daunting and expensive task. To overcome this problem, we coupled 1) predictions from the range-wide, spatially precise Climate Shield model on the location of natal habitats of bull trout with 2) a sampling template for every 8-digit hydrologic unit in the historical range of bull trout, based on the probability of detecting bull trout presence using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling (McKelvey et al. 2016). The template consists of a master set of geospatially referenced sampling locations at 1-kilometer intervals within each cold-water habitat. We also identified sampling locations at this same interval based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) designation of critical spawning and rearing habitat. Based on field tests of eDNA detection probabilities conducted by the National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, this sampling approach will reliably determine the presence of populations of bull trout, as well as provide insights on non-spawning habitats used by adult and subadult fish. The completed bull trout eDNA survey results are available through an interactive ArcGIS Online Map. The map provides the ability to zoom in and look at an area of interest, as well as to create queries or select an area to download points as a shapefile.
Results from collected eDNA field sample locations indicating presence or absence of bull trout. The points represent lab results starting in 2015 and updated at least once a year based on participation. Points taken prior to 2015 were sampled using effectively identical protocols and are added to the eDNAtlas Database from previous databases as time allows.
For more information on The Range-Wide Bull Trout eDNA Project see: https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/boise/AWAE/projects/BullTrout_eDNA.html Original metadata date was 08/15/2017. Minor metadata updates were made on 09/01/2017. On 07/03/2018 the metadata was updated to denote that 2018 data are now included. On 04/09/2019 the metadata was updated to reflect changes made to the data on 03/14/2019: added more sample results as well as added the Sample_Visit field to indicate if a sample was collected at more than one time at a single location on the sample day. On 09/18/2019 more sample results were added, as well as changing the Sample_Visit field name to SampleVisi. Some location field names were added or edited to clarify sample grid locations from field collection locations. On 11/08/2019 the metadata was updated to reflect changes made to the data. On 12/09/2019 metadata were updated to include information regarding data prior to 2015 that are available. On 07/24/2020 an “ID_Tag” field to specify for the lab which Unique ID was assigned to the sample for the PCR run. Additional minor metadata updates were included. More sample results were added, as well as changing the Sample_Visit field name to Samp_Visit. On 10/23/2020 a few data corrections were made, see Process Steps for details. On 06/05/2021 the metadata was updated to reflect the changes in the attribute table. There are two new fields: Field_Lon and Field_Lat. Those and other coordinate attribute definitions were edited to clarify which were grid point coordinates and which were GPS coordinates the contributor gave as the location of the field sample. The Samp_Visit field was deleted since the ID_Tag can be used to differentiate between samples at the same location and date. On 07/27/22 the metadata was updated to correct old URLs.