Description
Data Records
The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 13,042 records.
1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Perez Clausen M, Rovira C (2026). Field observations of birds from Veolia facilities under BiObserva program. Version 1.15. AGBAR. Samplingevent dataset. https://doi.org/10.15470/uykaay
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is VEOLIA. To the extent possible under law, the publisher has waived all rights to these data and has dedicated them to the Public Domain (CC0 1.0). Users may copy, modify, distribute and use the work, including for commercial purposes, without restriction.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 35e0cdd1-d493-4a73-bca8-2850c61ef79f. VEOLIA publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Spain.
Keywords
Samplingevent; openPSD; private-sector; gbif-cesp; Samplingevent; Observation
Contacts
- Point Of Contact
- Responsable de Sostenibilidad
- Content Provider ●
- Metadata Provider
- Responsable de Biodiversidad
- Content Provider
- Area Divulgación y Formación
- Point Of Contact
- Responsable de sostenibilidad
Geographic Coverage
Observations are all located in Spain.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [26.431, -20.215], North East [43.93, 5.186] |
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Taxonomic Coverage
No Description available
| Class | Aves |
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Project Data
BiObserva is a corporate Citizen Science program that monitors bird biodiversity at Veolia's industrial facilities in Spain. Through standardized observation protocols, trained volunteers conduct systematic biannual censuses (spring and winter) recording species, abundances, and behaviors. The georeferenced data, validated by experts, contributes to GBIF, generating scientific information on distribution, phenology, and habitat use of birds in anthropized environments. The program assesses the impact of water, energy and waste management infrastructure on local biodiversity, identifies species of conservation interest, and supports naturalization strategies based on scientific evidence.
| Title | BiObserva |
|---|---|
| Identifier | BiObserva |
| Funding | Internal financing of Veolia company. Acknowledgments: this dataset has been published as part of the efforts done in the CESP Project “OpenPSD – Engage and promote the private sector in open biodiversity data publication (ID CESP2019-004)”. |
| Study Area Description | Some of the water treatment facilities located in Spanish territory. The area includes the entire surface of the facility as well as an external margin of 200 meters around the perimeter. |
| Design Description | BiObserva implements a systematic sampling design through standardized censuses at fixed points within Veolia facilities. Two mandatory annual censuses (May and January) of 20 minutes duration are conducted, complemented by continuous opportunistic observations. Volunteers record all species detected visually and acoustically using mobile applications, documenting with photographs, GPS coordinates, and temporal metadata. Observations are validated by taxonomic experts before integration into GBIF. The design allows for temporal comparisons (seasonal and interannual variation), spatial comparisons (between facilities), and evaluation of naturalization action effects. Protocol replication across multiple facilities generates a national-scale monitoring network, providing robust data on biodiversity in water cycle infraestructures and waste management infrastructures. |
The personnel involved in the project:
- Point Of Contact
Sampling Methods
The observer walks a transect within the limits of the facility. Observed species in the facility and in a buffer of 200m are registered. It is recommended to register all observed species (complete list), including common species. Twice a year (15th to 30th of January, 15th to 30th of May) observers are asked to invest 30 minutes between sunrise and midday to survey their facilities.
| Study Extent | The study area comprises Veolia's operational facilities (wastewater treatment plants, drinking water treatment stations, waste management plants, and operational centers) and a perimeter of 200 meters around each facility. |
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Method step description:
- 1. Workers at each plant who have voluntarily enrolled in the Biobserva program observe birds during their working hours. 2. Volunteers have been trained in bird watching and identification. 3. Each sighting is noted by the volunteer. For this they have an application that can be used from the phone or from the computer. 4. All observations are reviewed by an expert from the Institut Català d'Ornitologia (ICO).
Additional Metadata
| Purpose | |
|---|---|
| Maintenance Description | Even though the sightings carried out by the volunteers are almost daily, the data is updated annually. |
| Alternative Identifiers | 10.15470/uykaay |
| 35e0cdd1-d493-4a73-bca8-2850c61ef79f | |
| https://ipt.gbif.es/resource?r=biobserva-aves |