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Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the differences between causal analysis, the Stressor Identification (SI) process, and CADDIS?
How do I use the CADDIS Web site?
How do I print parts of CADDIS?
What regulatory and water quality management programs can benefit from Stressor Identification?
Will CADDIS help me find the source of the stressor?
Can I use CADDIS to determine the cause of biological impairment in an estuary?
How much data do I need to use CADDIS?
What are future plans for CADDIS?
- Additional examples, statistical methods, data bases, candidate cause summaries and conceptual models
- Case studies with links to relevant CADDIS pages
- Capabilities for user input.
What are the differences between causal analysis, the Stressor Identification (SI) process, and CADDIS?
A cause is something that brings about an effect or result. The analysis of causal relationships is central to everyday life and science; it identifies the means by which we can improve our environment. The Stressor Identification (SI) Guidance Document provides a formal and rigorous process for identifying the stressors causing detrimental biological changes in aquatic ecosystems. The SI approach is based on three methods for evaluating causal relationships--refutation, diagnosis, and comparison of strength of evidence. CADDIS uses these three methods, but in a more integrated manner, and emphasizes a step-by-step process for assembling and evaluating evidence. CADDIS also contains updates, clarifications and additional tools and information developed since the Stressor Identification Guidance Document was published. Future enhancements of CADDIS will provide analytical tools and databases useful for causal analysis.
How do I use the CADDIS Web site?
The CADDIS Web site is an on-line application that currently contains the following pieces: a 5-step guide to lead you through a causal analysis; example worksheets that provide examples from a real case study to illustrate the steps; and pertinent references, advice on analyzing data, data analysis tools, database links, galleries of stressor response relationships, conceptual models and a glossary that are all relevant to causal analysis. Each step in the guide has 3 sections: the overview, the in-depth look into the step, and a review of results and next steps. The in-depth sections for steps 3, 4, and 5 also include right hand navigation boxes with quick links to additional information. In Step 5, the in-depth section is split into two sub-sections (Weigh Evidence for Each Cause and Compare Evidence Among Causes). Throughout the site there are extra pop-up pages, which provide supplemental information and links to the example worksheets (click here for more information on using the Web site). If you are a new user, we recommend that you review the Guide Overview, which summarizes the entire process, and then go through each step in order. More experienced users might jump directly to other sections of CADDIS such as Example Worksheets and Conceptual Model Library.
How do I print parts of CADDIS?
CADDIS is as an on-line system enabling you to have quick access to the information you seek. Individual pages can be printed by clicking on the "Print Version" at the top of each page. You can also use our print function to print multiple pages. The printout may be helpful as a general reference but will not provide the interactive capabilities of the Web site and excludes several tools, databases, and models. Tables and figures may be cropped or illegible. The font size and style of the printed pages may not match the web pages, and may vary from one printed section to the next. This is likely due to the differences in codes that control the font size and style for web pages versus the controls for the PDF pages.
What regulatory and water quality management programs can benefit from Stressor Identification?
Identifying the cause of biological impairments is an essential element of many regulatory and water quality management programs. CADDIS contains a table summarizing the role of Stressor Identification in various water quality management programs.
Will CADDIS help me find the source of the stressor?
CADDIS will help you identify the stressor that is contacting or co-occurring with aquatic organisms in a way that causes detrimental changes. Identifying the sources of those stressors, developing and implementing management options, and monitoring restoration effectiveness are all important activities that are outside the scope of this Web site. However, accurate and defensible identification of the cause is the key that directs management efforts toward finding solutions that have the best chance for improving biological condition.
Can I use CADDIS to determine the cause of biological impairment in an estuary?
The Stressor Identification process (and, by extension, the process outlined in the Step-by-Step Guide) is a general method for analyzing causes of detrimental biological effects. To date, the process has been used for evaluating causal relationships in stream ecosystems. However, because it is based on fundamental principles of causal analysis, the process should be useful for causal assessments in any ecological system. Case studies in estuaries and terrestrial systems are currently under development.
How much data do I need to use CADDIS?
The Stressor Identification process outlined in CADDIS does not require a minimum data set, and existing data are often sufficient to determine the cause of an impairment. We recommend you review the section on Fundamentals of Data Analysis to help you develop a sound foundation for your analysis. If the available data are too sparse to support a causal analysis, it may still be useful to go through the Stressor Identification process, but at a screening level, with the objective of identifying the data that would be most fruitful to collect. In addition, an important part of the process is evaluating whether the data used are of sufficient quantity and quality to support the causal analysis.
What are future plans for CADDIS?
Future plans for CADDIS include:
Please contact us with your input and feedback.