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FIELD SAMPLING IN ESTUARIES: THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCALE TO VARIABILITY
Citation:
Livingston, R. FIELD SAMPLING IN ESTUARIES: THE RELATIONSHIP OF SCALE TO VARIABILITY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-87/364 (NTIS PB88219795), 1987.
Description:
The spatial/temporal scaling problem (i.e., fitting a given research question to the dimensions of variability of the study area) is particularly pronounced in highly variable systems such as estuaries. Long-term, multidisciplinary studies in the Apalachicola Bay system were used to evaluate variation of different physical, chemical, and biological factors. Specific limitations of weekly, monthly, and quarterly sampling intervals were directly related to the efficiency of the sampling gear, the range of variation in the study parameters, and specific biological features (motility, recruitment, natural history) of infaunal macroinvertebrates and epibenthic organisms. There are families of spatial and temporal scaling phenomena that should be considered when establishing a given field sampling program. (Copyright (c) 1987 Estuarine Research Federation.)