Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: USGS Alaska Science Center, Polar Bear Research Program
Publication_Date: 20171017
Title:

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular digital data
Series_Information:

Series_Name:

Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea

Issue_Identification: ver 2.0, January 2021

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Anchorage, Alaska
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center

Other_Citation_Details:

Suggested Citation: USGS Alaska Science Center, Polar Bear Research Program, 2017, Serum urea and creatinine levels of spring-caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas (ver 2.0, January 2021): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7SQ8XJC

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.5066/F7SQ8XJC
Larger_Work_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center
Publication_Date: 2010
Title:

USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems: Enhancing forecasts of polar bear and walrus population response to a rapidly changing Arctic ecosystem

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: website
Series_Information:

Series_Name: Alaska Science Portal
Issue_Identification: 444

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Anchorage, Alaska
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center

Other_Citation_Details:

This is a link to the broader USGS Alaska Science Center research project supported by these data. Users will find a description of the research project and links to associated reports, publications, and data products.

Online_Linkage: https://alaska.usgs.gov/portal/project.php?project_id=444

Description:

Abstract:

These data are serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels for polar bears captured in the southern Beaufort Sea 1983-2016 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1993 and 2008-2017. The dataset includes relevant information about the bears that were captured including the latitude and longitude of their capture location, capture date, age class and sex, the age and number of cubs accompanying an adult female, and whether the bear denned during the previous winter or exhibited signs of being engaged in mating behavior at the time of or just prior to capture.

Purpose:

These data were used to determine if bears had eaten in the 7-10 days prior to capture and examine spatial and temporal patterns in feeding behavior.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1983
Ending_Date: 2016

Currentness_Reference: observed

Status:

Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent: The Chukchi and southern Beaufort Seas
Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -173.13
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -134.77
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 72.70
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 62.46

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Metadata Identifier
Theme_Keyword: USGS:ASC141

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: Biota
Theme_Keyword: Environment

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NASA GCMD Earth Science Keyword Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Animals/Vertebrates
Theme_Keyword: Mammals
Theme_Keyword: Carnivores
Theme_Keyword: Bears

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS CSA Biocomplexity Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Marine mammals
Theme_Keyword: Denning behavior
Theme_Keyword: Food consumption
Theme_Keyword: Foraging behavior
Theme_Keyword: Wildlife food habits

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Wildlife
Theme_Keyword: Marine ecosystems
Theme_Keyword: Coastal ecosystems

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Polar Bear
Theme_Keyword: Ursus maritimus
Theme_Keyword: Metabolites
Theme_Keyword: Urea
Theme_Keyword: Creatinine

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
Place_Keyword: Alaska
Place_Keyword: Chukchi Sea
Place_Keyword: Beaufort Sea

Taxonomy:

Keywords/Taxon:

Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Taxonomic_Keywords: Mammals
Taxonomic_Keywords: Carnivore

Taxonomic_System:

Classification_System/Authority:

Classification_System_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: ITIS Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Publication_Date: Unknown
Title: ITIS Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: online database
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: online
Publisher: ITIS-North America

Other_Citation_Details:

Taxonomic details retrieved January 18, 2021 from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System online database: https://www.itis.gov

Online_Linkage: https://www.itis.gov

Taxonomic_Procedures:

Species were identified by skilled observers in the field based on general appearance. Polar bears are easily distinguishable from other species by physical characteristics and habitat use patterns. In most cases, species was confirmed genetically.

Taxonomic_Completeness:

Taxonomy is complete for all samples. No vouchers were collected.

Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Kingdom
Taxon_Rank_Value: Animalia
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Subkingdom
Taxon_Rank_Value: Bilateria
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Infrakingdom
Taxon_Rank_Value: Deuterostomia
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Phylum
Taxon_Rank_Value: Chordata
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Subphylum
Taxon_Rank_Value: Vertebrata
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Infraphylum
Taxon_Rank_Value: Gnathostomata
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Superclass
Taxon_Rank_Value: Tetrapoda
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Class
Taxon_Rank_Value: Mammalia
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Subclass
Taxon_Rank_Value: Theria
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Infraclass
Taxon_Rank_Value: Eutheria
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Order
Taxon_Rank_Value: Carnivora
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Suborder
Taxon_Rank_Value: Caniformia
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Family
Taxon_Rank_Value: Ursidae
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Genus
Taxon_Rank_Value: Ursus
Taxonomic_Classification:

Taxon_Rank_Name: Species
Taxon_Rank_Value: Ursus maritimus
Applicable_Common_Name: Polar Bear
Applicable_Common_Name: TSN: 180542

Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:

It is requested that the authors and the USGS Alaska Science Center be cited for any subsequent publications that reference this dataset.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical
Address: 4210 University Drive
City: Anchorage
State_or_Province: Alaska
Postal_Code: 99508
Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 907-786-7000
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: ascweb@usgs.gov

Cross_Reference:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Rode, K.D.
Originator: Wilson, R.R.
Originator: Douglas, D.C.
Originator: Muhlenbruch, V.
Originator: Atwood, T.C.
Originator: Regehr, E.V.
Originator: Richardson, E.S.
Originator: Pilfold, N.W.
Originator: Derocher, A.E.
Originator: Durner, G.M.
Originator: Stirling, I.
Originator: Amstrup, S.C.
Originator: St.Martin, M.
Originator: Pagano, A.M.
Originator: Simac, K.
Publication_Date: 2018
Title:

Spring fasting behavior in a marine apex predator provides an index of ecosystem productivity

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: journal article
Series_Information:

Series_Name: Global Change Biology
Issue_Identification: 24(1):410-423

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: online
Publisher: Wiley

Other_Citation_Details:

Rode, K.D., Wilson, R.R., Douglas, D.C., Muhlenbruch, V., Atwood, T.C., Regehr, E.V., Richardson, E.S., Pilfold, N.W., Derocher, A.E., Durner, G.M., Stirling, I., Amstrup, S.C., St. Martin, M., Pagano, A.M., Simac, K. 2018. Spring fasting behavior in a marine apex predator provides an index of ecosystem productivity. Global Change Biology 24(1):410-423 doi:10.1111/gcb.13933

Online_Linkage: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13933

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Capture and identifying information about samples were cross-checked with original field data. Urea and creatinine values were estimated using an Abaxis vetscan with comprehensive rotors at the US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center's lab. Abaxis vetscans is a veterinary diagnostic system. For more information about the Abaxis vetscan see: https://www.abaxis.com/vs2-chemistry-analyzer-0.

Logical_Consistency_Report: Attribute values fall within expected ranges.
Completeness_Report:

Data set is complete. No data were omitted and there are no missing data.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The precision of latitude and longitude estimates varied across the years of study and are reported with precision consistent with data collection. The most precise locations were obtained from commercially available GPS units, accuracy estimated to be within 4 m.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Laboratory
Methodology_Description:

Levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were measured in thawed serum using comprehensive rotors with an Abaxis vetscan (Abaxis, Inc., Union City, CA, USA). Serum urea was calculated by multiplying BUN x 0.466. All samples were analyzed between 2006 and 2019 at the US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center laboratory. Samples were kept frozen prior to analysis in a -80C freezer. Long-term storage of serum samples is not known to affect urea and creatinine levels as reviewed in Rode et al. (2018). All samples were run in duplicate to ensure the accuracy of results and averages have been provided.

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Spring fasting behavior in a marine apex predator provides an index of ecosystem productivity

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: journal article
Series_Information:

Series_Name: Global change biology
Issue_Identification: 24

Other_Citation_Details:

Rode, K.D., R.R. Wilson, D.C. Douglas, V. Muhlenbruch, T.C. Atwood, E.V. Regehr, E.S. Richardson, et al. 2018. Spring fasting behavior in a marine apex predator provides an index of ecosystem productivity. Global Change Biology 24:410-423.

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:

Blood samples were collected from polar bears captured in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. Samples were stored in the field in coolers with heating pads that prevented freezing during field operations. At the end of the day, samples were centrifuged and the serum was removed and immediately frozen. Samples were transported frozen from the field to either the USGS or US FWS offices in Anchorage, Alaska where they were put into long-term storage in -80C freezers until the time of analysis.

Process_Step:

Process_Description: Original field data were transcribed to digital tables.
Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Point

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: 0.0001
Longitude_Resolution: 0.0001
Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: World Geodetic System of 1984
Ellipsoid_Name: World Geodetic System of 1984
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257223563

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Polar Bear Fasting Data
Entity_Type_Definition:

Serum urea and creatinine values for polar bears captured in the Chukchi and southern Beaufort Seas. Presented in a Comma Separated Value (CSV) formatted table.

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: BearID
Attribute_Definition:

Number assigned to each bear to provide an individual identification

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 697
Range_Domain_Maximum: 99990

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Capture Date
Attribute_Definition:

Date when the bear was captured and the serum sample was collected.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 1983-04-19
Range_Domain_Maximum: 2017-04-17
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Date (YYYY-MM-DD)

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Popn
Attribute_Definition: The population from which the bear was sampled.
Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: CS
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Chukchi Sea
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: SB
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Southern Beaufort
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Sex
Attribute_Definition: Sex of the bear
Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: F
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Female
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: M
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Male
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: AgeClass
Attribute_Definition:

Age class of a bear based on the estimated or known age. Known ages were determined from teeth cementum. Estimated ages were from field observations.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: A
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Adult
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: S
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: subadult
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Mating
Attribute_Definition:

Whether a bear exhibited signs of mating behavior. Mating behavior was confirmed if a female was in estrus, a male was following a female or a female's tracks, or a female was being followed by a male. Mating behavior was determined not to be occurring in subadults that were not sexually mature or females accompanied by first year cubs.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: yes
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Bear exhibited mating behavior
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: No
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Bear did not exhibit mating behavior
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: unknown
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

Data were insufficient to confirm whether a bear exhibited mating behavior or not.

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Denning
Attribute_Definition:

Whether a bear denned the winter prior to capture or not. This was confirmed if a bear was observed at a den site, with first year cubs, or with collar temperature sensor data consistent with having denned. Denning was assumed not to have occurred for males of any age and females with one or two year old cubs.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: yes
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: There was evidence that the bear denned the prior winter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: no
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: There was evidence that the bear did not den the prior winter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: unknown
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Data were insufficient to determine if a bear denned or not.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: den_method
Attribute_Definition:

Method used to confirm that a bear denned. Blank cell indicate that the method was not determined.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: coy
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

Female was observed with first year cubs (coy = cubs of the year)

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: lactating
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

Female was lactating but without cubs suggesting that she did den

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: NA
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Not applicable
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: older cubs
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Female was accompanied by older cubs and therefore did not den
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: temp
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

Denning or lack of denning was confirmed from collar temperature sensor data

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: visual
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:

Denning or lack of denning was confirmed from collar temperature sensor data

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Lat
Attribute_Definition:

Latitude of the capture location. Location precision varied across the years of data collection. The number of decimal places are provided as originally recorded.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 62.46
Range_Domain_Maximum: 72.7
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Decimal degrees (WGS84)

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Long
Attribute_Definition:

Longitude of capture location. Location precision varied across the years of data collection. The number of decimal places are provided as originally recorded.

Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: -173.13
Range_Domain_Maximum: -134.7667
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Decimal degrees (WGS84)

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: NoCubs
Attribute_Definition: Number of cubs accompanying an adult female.
Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 1
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 1 cub
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 2
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 2 cubs
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: 3
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: 3 cubs
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: NA
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Not applicable
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: CubAge
Attribute_Definition: Age of the cubs accompanying an adult female
Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: C0
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: First year cub/cub of the year (coy)
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: C1
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Yearling cub/one year old
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: C2
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Two year old cub
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: NA
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Not applicable
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: Author defined

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Urea Nitrogen
Attribute_Definition: Amount of urea nitrogen in blood serum in mg/dl
Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 1
Range_Domain_Maximum: 85.5
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: milligrams per deciliter

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Creatinine
Attribute_Definition: Amount of creatinine in blood serum in mg/dl
Attribute_Definition_Source: Author defined
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.35
Range_Domain_Maximum: 3.45
Attribute_Units_of_Measure: milligrams per deciliter

Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

Metadata: