10/26/02
Each member of fauna read the opening two chapters as
well as two other chapters of the following book in order to soak up the
useful information in the book:
Elzinga, Caryl L., Daniel W. Sulzer, John W. Willoughby,
James P. Gibbs.
Monitoring Plant and Animal Populations. USA, Blackwell
science, Inc. 2001
website: www.mpl-parc.usgs.gov/monpop
(I tried link, does not seem to work; this is how it
is written in the book itself, however.)
I read chapters 1,2,5, and 6. Notes:
chapter 1) monitor only if there are mangement
options
"adaptive management": 1. manage to the best of knowledge,
2. learn from experiences,
3. improve for future.
to monitor, steps: 1. model of what is being monitored,
2. objective of what is to be gained from the monitoring,
3. management options,
4. monitoring techniques,
5. analyze data,
6. adapt monitoring
uses of inventories - locate species, population size, individual ages
and sizes, the conditions in the populations, locate all species in an
area, assess the habitat, assess
threats.
Trend studies - resource changes over time.
11/11/02
chapter 2) Background
1. info on species/populations
2. review upper level planning documents
3. find priority species/populations
4. assess resource availability for monitoring
5. scale of interest for monitoring
6. intensity of monitoring (qualitative, quantitative, etc)
7. review
Objectives
1. model
2. management goals
3. indicators
4. sensitivity attribute
5. method of measuring/collecting the monitoring data
6. time frame
7. objective
8. management response
9. review step 7
Chapter 5) Field
Techniques
Take all equipment with you in a box.
Equipment: tape, ruler, aluminum tags and nails, string, binder
clips, binoculars, calculator, camera, clinometer, clipboard, compass,
data sheets, knee pads, notebook, flagging, graph paper, hammer, hand lens,
pencils, meter sticks, nails, newspaper for plant press, markers, photo
ID, clipboard sheets, pin flags, plant press, plastic bags, blumb bob,
pvc frame, rebar, screwdrivers, paint, posts.
Monuments
Use metal, stakes, T-posts, 60-70cm. Use duck-bill tree anchors to
prevent vandalism. Duck-bill tree anchors push in easily but the
expand out as you push them in, making them very hard to remove.
Marking trees - not as good, fine if the trees are visited annually
reference points for landmarks. Backup markers
(nails in the dirt next to the marker)
Collecting Animals
Invertebrates: photography
Insects - varies; pinned, alcohol; bottles, labeled with location, date,
and collector's name
Fish: photography; freezing, fixed in 10% formal in solution, inserted
head first, fixed for several days to a week and transfered to 50% isopropyl
alcohol for long term storage
Amphibians and reptiles: usually photography, otherwise same as with fish.
Tags tied above knee on right rear leg of frogs and salamanders.
Birds: well known taxonomically already. Strict regulations on birds.
Mammals: also well known already, and also well protected. Hairs
can be useful. Fluid preservation is bad.
Chapter 6) Recording
Data
Tape recorders are very useful in situ. They are hands free, and
can be used therefore simultaneously to data collection. Clearly
label and date each tape. Transcribe to paper as soon as possible.
Portable computers/ data loggers: these are most efficient. Use an
appropriate format to aid speed. Expensive.
Paper: subject to weather problems, messy, time consuming. Cheap.
Info on paper: date, location, title/project description, species, observer,
transect, comments
Preprint as much as possible.
Sorthand for speices: first 2/3 letters of geus and species (ex: ARHE =
Ardea Herodias)
Storing
Keep data in consistent folders, concise, do not mix.
Proof read for transcription erros.
Backup data.