Table and accompanying photographs for biogeomorphic classification of shorebird nesting sites on the U.S. Atlantic coast from April to August, 2015

Atlantic coast piping plover (Charadrius melodus) nest sites are typically found on low-lying beach and dune systems, which respond rapidly to coastal processes like sediment overwash, inlet formation, and island migration that are sensitive to climate-related changes in storminess and the rate of sea-level rise. Data were obtained to understand piping plover habitat distribution and use along their Atlantic Coast breeding range. A smartphone application called iPlover was developed to collect standardized data on habitat characteristics at piping plover nest locations. The application capitalized on a network of trained monitors that observe piping plovers throughout their U.S. Atlantic coast breeding range as part of the species’ recovery plan. Monitors used iPlover to document nest locations as well as randomly distributed points at beaches and barrier islands over ~1500 km of coast between Maine and North Carolina, USA. This work is one component of a larger research and management program that seeks to understand and sustain ecological value, ecosystem services, and habitat suitability of beaches in the face of storm impacts, climate change, and sea-level rise. Tabular digital data generated by field data collection with iPlover with accompanying site photographs in JPEG format are presented in this data release.

大西洋沿岸笛鸻（Charadrius melodus）的筑巢位点通常分布于低矮的海滩与沙丘系统，此类生境会对海岸过程做出快速响应，包括沉积物冲溢、潮汐水道形成以及海岸岛屿迁移——这些过程均对风暴活动、海平面上升速率等气候相关变化极为敏感。本数据集的采集旨在厘清大西洋沿岸繁殖分布区内笛鸻的栖息地分布与利用情况。研究团队开发了一款名为iPlover的智能手机应用程序，用于采集笛鸻筑巢位点的生境特征标准化数据。该应用依托一套经过培训的监测员网络开展工作：作为该物种恢复计划的一部分，这些监测员在美国大西洋沿岸的全部笛鸻繁殖分布区内开展野外观测。监测员使用iPlover记录筑巢位点，同时在美国缅因州至北卡罗来纳州之间约1500公里的海岸带的海滩与障壁岛中布设随机采样点并完成记录。本研究是一项大型科研与管理项目的组成部分，该项目旨在明晰并维持风暴影响、气候变化与海平面上升背景下海滩的生态价值、生态系统服务功能与栖息地适宜性。本次发布的数据包含通过iPlover开展野外数据采集所生成的表格型数字化数据，以及配套的JPEG格式生境位点照片。