Biological characteristics, liver metal concentrations, habitat biogeochemistry and habitat contamination sources of UK otters (2006-2017)
The dataset details the biological characteristics and concentrations of toxic metals/semi-metals in liver tissue from 278 Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) that died across England and Wales during the period 2006-2017. For each otter carcass, location (National Grid Reference) was recorded. These locations were used to collate data describing spatial variation in stream and soil biochemistry, weather, and potential anthropogenic sources of contaminants in the otter's habitat from a range of sources. This data was collected as part of the Cardiff University Otter Project. This project was supported in part by a grant from the Esme Fairbairn Foundation. The CEH contribution was supported the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCaPE programme delivering National Capability. This study contains model estimates of topsoil properties [Countryside Survey] and British Geological Survey data owned by © NERC as well as Ordnance Survey data owned by © Crown copyright and database right 2007. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/0fbb2c90-5b54-427a-a083-55c022802a80
dataset
https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/data/0fbb2c90-5b54-427a-a083-55c022802a80
name: Download the data
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function: download
https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/sd/0fbb2c90-5b54-427a-a083-55c022802a80.zip
name: Supporting information
description: Supporting information available to assist in re-use of this dataset
function: information
https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/0fbb2c90-5b54-427a-a083-55c022802a80
doi:
eng
biota
Environmental Monitoring Facilities
publication
2008-06-01
-8.648
1.768
60.861
49.864
2006-01-01
2017-12-31
publication
2019-10-21
Carcasses from 278 Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra), sent in to Cardiff University Otter Project (www.cardiff.ac.uk/otter-project) between 2006 and 2017, were subjected to a detailed post-mortem examination. This examination included the documentation of phenotypic characteristics (e.g. sex, length, weight, age class) and the collection of liver tissue samples. Liver tissue samples were acid digested after which toxic metals/semi-metals were quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in Lancaster. For each otter carcass, location (National Grid Reference) and date of collection was recorded. Otter locations were used as the centre of 20-km-diameter circles that were assumed to be the otter's habitat range. For each 20-km-diameter circle, data describing spatial variation in habitat biogeochemistry and habitat contamination sources was collated from a range of sources. Geological and anthropogenic variables were summarised either as mean values (soil elements, soil pH, sediment elements, stream pH, rainfall, silver nanoparticle concentrations in surface water, human population density) or sum values (number of consented discharges to controlled waters, annual mass inputs of metals to controlled waters).
publication
2010-12-08
Comma-separated values (CSV)
© Natural Environment Research Council
© Cardiff University
If you reuse this data, you should cite: Brand, A.F., Chadwick, E.A., Shore, R.F. (2019). Biological characteristics, liver metal concentrations, habitat biogeochemistry and habitat contamination sources of UK otters (2006-2017). NERC Environmental Information Data Centre https://doi.org/10.5285/0fbb2c90-5b54-427a-a083-55c022802a80
Cardiff Otter Project
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1779-8691
name: ORCID record
description: ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers.
function: information
author
Cardiff Otter Project
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6662-6343
name: ORCID record
description: ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers.
function: information
author
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9337-8883
name: ORCID record
description: ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers.
function: information
author
Cardiff Otter Project
pointOfContact
custodian
publisher
Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg
Lancaster
LA1 4AP
UK
name: EIDC website
description: The Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC) is the UK's national data centre for terrestrial and freshwater sciences.
function: information
pointOfContact
2025-03-21T09:19:34