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Getting to the Point: Accuracy of Point Count in Monitoring Ecosystem Change
Joint Authors
Source
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-7, 7 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2012-01-31
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
7
Main Subjects
Earth Science , Water and Environment
Abstract EN
Ecological monitoring programs depend on the robust estimation of descriptive parameters.
Percent cover, gleaned from transects sampled with video imagery, is a popular benthic ecology descriptor often estimated using point counting, an image-based method for identifying substrate types beneath random points.
We tested the hypothesis that the number of points needed to robustly estimate benthic cover in video imagery transects depends on cover itself, predicting that lower cover will require more points/frame to be accurately estimated.
While this point may seem obvious to the statistically inclined, the justification of point density has been largely ignored in the literature.
We examined the statistical behavior of point count estimates using computer-simulated 20 m-long transects patterned after data from a Bahamian reef.
The minimum number of points necessary to insure accurate percent cover estimation, the Optimal Point Count (OPC), is a function of mean percent cover and spatial heterogeneity of the benthic community.
More points are required to characterize reefs with lower cover and more homogeneously distributed coral colonies.
These results show that careful consideration must be given to sampling design and data analysis prior to attempting to estimate benthic cover, especially in the context of long-term monitoring of degrading coral reef ecosystems.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Pante, Eric& Dustan, Phillip. 2012. Getting to the Point: Accuracy of Point Count in Monitoring Ecosystem Change. Journal of Marine Sciences،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-997015
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Pante, Eric& Dustan, Phillip. Getting to the Point: Accuracy of Point Count in Monitoring Ecosystem Change. Journal of Marine Sciences No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-997015
American Medical Association (AMA)
Pante, Eric& Dustan, Phillip. Getting to the Point: Accuracy of Point Count in Monitoring Ecosystem Change. Journal of Marine Sciences. 2012. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-997015
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-997015