Tools and Techniques for Synthesizing Monitoring and Other Data Completed
By Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
November 14, 2017
Determining the best strategy for managing natural resources often requires a synthetic analysis describing the interactions among a multiplicity of ecosystem components and driving factors. However, comprehensive data sets are rarely collected to include all factors relevant to a given management decision. When data are obtained from multiple sources, they are often difficult to synthesize because they were not collected at the same time, in the same place, or over a long time series. Moreover, it may be necessary to incorporate expert opinion and hypotheses when data are not available. Finally, the ability to make predictions about the effects of potential management actions and climate change impacts is often required. Consequently, tools are needed to synthesize relationships developed from a variety of sources for multiple factors to address management information needs.
Projects
- Synthesizing Vital Signs Data from Klamath & San Francisco Bay Area Networks: Analysis of Linkages & Trends in Climate, Streamflow, Vegetation, Salmon, and Ocean Conditions
- Evaluating Climate-Change Effects on Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Natural Resources
- Assessment of Land Treatments to Understand Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat Trajectories in the Great Basin
Below are publications associated with this project.
Life-history model for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) at Lake Ozette, northwestern Washington—Users' guide
Salmon populations spawning in the Lake Ozette watershed of northwestern Washington were once sufficiently abundant to support traditional Tribal fisheries, and were later harvested by settlers. However, in 1974 and 1975, the sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) harvest decreased to 0 from a high of more than 17,500 in 1949, thus stimulating research into the causes of decrease, which resulted in e
Authors
Andrea Woodward, Mike Haggerty, Patrick Crain
Skagit River coho salmon life history model—Users’ guide
Natural resource management is conducted in the context of multiple anthropogenic stressors and is further challenged owing to changing climate. Experiments to determine the effects of climate change on complex ecological systems are nearly impossible. However, using a simulation model to synthesize current understanding of key ecological processes through the life cycle of a fish population can p
Authors
Andrea Woodward, Grant Kirby, Scott Morris
Detecting significant change in stream benthic macroinvertebrate communities in wilderness areas
A major challenge in the biological monitoring of stream ecosystems in protected wilderness areas is discerning whether temporal changes in community structure are significantly outside of a reference condition that represents natural or acceptable annual variation in population cycles. Otherwise sites could erroneously be classified as impaired. Long-term datasets are essential for understanding
Authors
Alexander M. Milner, Andrea Woodward, Jerome E. Freilich, Robert W. Black, Vincent H. Resh
Users' guide to system dynamics model describing Coho salmon survival in Olema Creek, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
The system dynamics model described in this report is the result of a collaboration between U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and National Park Service (NPS) San Francisco Bay Area Network (SFAN) staff, whose goal was to develop a methodology to integrate inventory and monitoring data to better understand ecosystem dynamics and trends using salmon in Olema Creek, Marin County, California, a
Authors
Andrea Woodward, Alicia Torregrosa, Mary Ann Madej, Michael Reichmuth, Darren Fong
Linking physical monitoring to coho and Chinook salmon populations in the Redwood Creek Watershed, California—Summary of May 3–4, 2012 Workshop
On Thursday, May 3, 2012, a science workshop was held at the Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) office in Arcata, California, with researchers and resource managers working in RNSP to share data and expert opinions concerning salmon populations and habitat in the Redwood Creek watershed. The focus of the workshop was to discuss how best to synthesize physical and biological data related to th
Authors
Mary Ann Madej, Alicia Torregrosa, Andrea Woodward
Conceptual ecological models to guide integrated landscape monitoring of the Great Basin
The Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Project was developed in response to the need for a monitoring and predictive capability that addresses changes in broad landscapes and waterscapes. Human communities and needs are nested within landscapes formed by interactions among the hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Understanding the complex processes that shape landscapes and derivi
Authors
D. M. Miller, S.P. Finn, Andrea Woodward, Alicia Torregrosa, M. E. Miller, D. R. Bedford, A.M. Brasher
Determining the best strategy for managing natural resources often requires a synthetic analysis describing the interactions among a multiplicity of ecosystem components and driving factors. However, comprehensive data sets are rarely collected to include all factors relevant to a given management decision. When data are obtained from multiple sources, they are often difficult to synthesize because they were not collected at the same time, in the same place, or over a long time series. Moreover, it may be necessary to incorporate expert opinion and hypotheses when data are not available. Finally, the ability to make predictions about the effects of potential management actions and climate change impacts is often required. Consequently, tools are needed to synthesize relationships developed from a variety of sources for multiple factors to address management information needs.
Projects
- Synthesizing Vital Signs Data from Klamath & San Francisco Bay Area Networks: Analysis of Linkages & Trends in Climate, Streamflow, Vegetation, Salmon, and Ocean Conditions
- Evaluating Climate-Change Effects on Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Natural Resources
- Assessment of Land Treatments to Understand Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat Trajectories in the Great Basin
Below are publications associated with this project.
Life-history model for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) at Lake Ozette, northwestern Washington—Users' guide
Salmon populations spawning in the Lake Ozette watershed of northwestern Washington were once sufficiently abundant to support traditional Tribal fisheries, and were later harvested by settlers. However, in 1974 and 1975, the sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) harvest decreased to 0 from a high of more than 17,500 in 1949, thus stimulating research into the causes of decrease, which resulted in e
Authors
Andrea Woodward, Mike Haggerty, Patrick Crain
Skagit River coho salmon life history model—Users’ guide
Natural resource management is conducted in the context of multiple anthropogenic stressors and is further challenged owing to changing climate. Experiments to determine the effects of climate change on complex ecological systems are nearly impossible. However, using a simulation model to synthesize current understanding of key ecological processes through the life cycle of a fish population can p
Authors
Andrea Woodward, Grant Kirby, Scott Morris
Detecting significant change in stream benthic macroinvertebrate communities in wilderness areas
A major challenge in the biological monitoring of stream ecosystems in protected wilderness areas is discerning whether temporal changes in community structure are significantly outside of a reference condition that represents natural or acceptable annual variation in population cycles. Otherwise sites could erroneously be classified as impaired. Long-term datasets are essential for understanding
Authors
Alexander M. Milner, Andrea Woodward, Jerome E. Freilich, Robert W. Black, Vincent H. Resh
Users' guide to system dynamics model describing Coho salmon survival in Olema Creek, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
The system dynamics model described in this report is the result of a collaboration between U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and National Park Service (NPS) San Francisco Bay Area Network (SFAN) staff, whose goal was to develop a methodology to integrate inventory and monitoring data to better understand ecosystem dynamics and trends using salmon in Olema Creek, Marin County, California, a
Authors
Andrea Woodward, Alicia Torregrosa, Mary Ann Madej, Michael Reichmuth, Darren Fong
Linking physical monitoring to coho and Chinook salmon populations in the Redwood Creek Watershed, California—Summary of May 3–4, 2012 Workshop
On Thursday, May 3, 2012, a science workshop was held at the Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) office in Arcata, California, with researchers and resource managers working in RNSP to share data and expert opinions concerning salmon populations and habitat in the Redwood Creek watershed. The focus of the workshop was to discuss how best to synthesize physical and biological data related to th
Authors
Mary Ann Madej, Alicia Torregrosa, Andrea Woodward
Conceptual ecological models to guide integrated landscape monitoring of the Great Basin
The Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Project was developed in response to the need for a monitoring and predictive capability that addresses changes in broad landscapes and waterscapes. Human communities and needs are nested within landscapes formed by interactions among the hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Understanding the complex processes that shape landscapes and derivi
Authors
D. M. Miller, S.P. Finn, Andrea Woodward, Alicia Torregrosa, M. E. Miller, D. R. Bedford, A.M. Brasher