Repeatability Of Riparian Vegetation Sampling Methods

Tests were conducted to evaluate variability among observers for riparian vegetation data collection methods and data reduction techniques. The methods are used as part of a largescale monitoring program designed to detect changes in riparian resource conditions on Federal lands. Methods were evaluated using agreement matrices, the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity metric, the coefficient of variation, the percentage of total variability attributed to observers, and estimates of the number of sites needed to detect change. Community type (CT) cover data differed substantially among the six to seven observers that sampled the same sites. The mean within-site similarity in the vegetation data ranged from 40 to 65 percent. Converting CT data to ratings (bank stability, successional, and wetlands ratings) resulted in better repeatability, with coefficients of variation ranging from 6 to 13 percent and a percentage of variability attributed to observers of 16 to 44 percent. Sample size estimates for the ratings generated from CT cover data ranged from 56 to 224 sites to detect a change of 10 percent between two populations. The woody species regeneration method was imprecise. The effective ground cover method was quite precise with a coefficient of variation of two, but had so little variability among sites that statistically significant change in this attribute would not be expected. In general, reducing the CTs to ratings increased precision because of the elimination of differences among observers that were not important from the perspective of the rating. Studies that seek to detect change at a single site would need to take into account the observer variability described here. Studies that seek to detect differences between populations of sites could detect relatively large changes with these methods and ratings. Small differences among populations would be difficult to detect with a high degree of confidence, unless hundreds of sites were sampled.

"This monitoring plan for aquatic and riparian resources was developed in response to monitoring needs addressed in the Biological Opinions for bull trout (U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service 1998) and steelhead (U.S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service). It provides a consistent framework for implementing the effectiveness monitoring of aquatic and riparian resources within the range of the Pacific Anadromous Fish Strategy (PACFISH) and the Inland Fish Strategy (INFISH). The primary objective is to evaluate the effect of land management activities on aquatic and riparian communities at multiple scales and to determine whether PACFISH/INFISH management practices are effective in maintaining or improving the structure and function of riparian and aquatic conditions at both the landscape and watershed scales on Federal lands throughout the upper Columbia River Basin. A list of attributes thought to be important in defining aquatic and riparian habitat conditions and their relationship with listed species were identified. The list of attributes was then translated into measurable criteria and compiled to form sampling protocols for both stream channel parameters (Part II) and vegetation parameters (Part III). These sampling methods were tested for variability, and the results are documented in two other publications "Testing Common Stream Sampling Methods for Broad-Scale, Long-Term Monitoring." (Archer and others 2004) and "The Repeatability of Riparian Vegetation Sampling Methods: How Useful Are These Techniques for Broad-Scale Monitoring?" (Coles-Ritchie and others, in preparation). "

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Provides information on three sampling methods used to inventory and monitor the vegetation resources in riparian areas. The vegetation cross-section method evaluates the health of vegetation across the valley floor. The greenline method provides a measurement of the streamside vegetation. The woody species regeneration method measures the density and age class structure of any shrub or tree species that may be present in the sampling area. Together these three sampling procedures can provide an evaluation of the health of all the vegetation in a given riparian area.