CSIRO Australia: optimising riparian sampling
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Title
| Optimising the sampling effort in riparian surveys |
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Author
| Melissa Dobbie, You-Gan Wang, Rebecca Zammit, Alan Offer, Peter Negus, Joanna Blessing |
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Abstract/Summary Statement
| Riparian condition is commonly measured as part of stream health monitoring programs as riparian vegetation provides an intricate linkage between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Field surveys of a riparian zone provide comprehensive riparian attribute data, but can be considerably intensive and onerous on resources and workers. Our objective was to assess the impact of reducing the sampling effort on the variation in key riparian health indicators. Subsequently, we developed a non-parametric approach to calculate an information retained (IR) statistic for comparing several constrained systematic sampling schemes to the original survey. The IR statistic is used to select a scheme that reduces the time taken to undertake riparian surveys (and thus potentially the costs) whilst maximising the information retained from the original survey. Approximate bootstrap confidence intervals were calculated to improve the inferential capability of the IR statistic. The approach is demonstrated using riparian vegetation indicators collected as part of an aquatic ecosystem health monitoring program in Queensland, Australia. Of the nine alternative sampling designs considered, the sampling design that reduced the sampling intensity per site by six-fold without significantly comprising the quality of the information retained, results in halving the time taken to complete a riparian survey at a site. This approach could also be applied to reducing sampling effort involved in monitoring other ecosystem health indicators, where an intensive systematic sampling scheme was initially employed. |
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Table of Contents
| Abstract Introduction Methodology -About the pilot study -Study design and sampling strategy -Data -Minimising sampling effort and maximising sampling efficiency Results -Riprarian width -Vegetation structure and exotics -Clear area Discussion Conclusion References |
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Citation
| Dobbie, Wang, Zammit, Offer, Negus, Blessing. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2012 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-012-2823-6 |
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Method Source
| CSIRO Australia |
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Source Organization Country
| Australia |
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Publication Year
| 2012 |
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Special Notes
| It is fully accessible to all users at libraries and institutions that have purchased a SpringerLink license. But will appear in print in due course. |
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Item Type
| Journal Article |
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Publication Source Type
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International Government Agency Additional information: CSIRO Australia |
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Purpose
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Monitoring program design |
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Design or Data Analysis Objectives
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Probability survey |
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Complexity
| Medium |
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Media Emphasized
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Other Additional information: Riparian vegetation |
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Media Subcategory
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Special Topics
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