National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program field research records, 1961-1973 : general summaries & info - all islands.

Object Details

Abstract: The Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program (POBSP) was initiated in 1962 when the Smithsonian Institution entered into a grant agreement with the Department of Defense. From January 1963 through June 1969 Smithsonian Institution employees undertook biological surveys in an area of the Pacific Ocean spanning the equator and extending from latitude 30 degrees north to 10 degrees south and from longitude 150 degrees east to 180 degrees west, an area dotted with clusters of islands and atolls. The major goals of the program were to learn what plants and animals occurred on the islands, the seasonal variations in their numbers and reproductive activities, and the distribution and population of the pelagic birds of that area. Emphasis was placed on the banding of birds in an effort to determine migration, distribution, and abundance of pelagic sea birds. During the six and a half years of field work 1,800,000 birds were banded; approximately 150,000 observations of pelagic birds at sea were made; and biological surveys of varying intensity were made on several islands. The present folder includes general summaries of data on observed birds. The birds species include: red-tailed tropicbird, blue-faced booby, red-footed booby, brown booby, great and lesser frigatebird, gray-backed tern, and sooty tern. Data include abundance scale, areas of islands, and months during which birds were handled (they range from January 1963 to December 1966).

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Collection name: National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program field research records, 1961-1973
Physical Description: 1 folder
Physical Location: Smithsonian Institution Archives
Sublocation: Box 1, folder 17

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