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). "

Our rivers are in crisis and the need for river restoration has never been more urgent. Water security and biodiversity indices for all of the world’s major rivers have declined due to pollution, diversions, impoundments, fragmented flows, introduced and invasive species, and many other abuses. Developing successful restoration responses are essential. Renewing Our Rivers addresses this need head on with examples of how to design and implement stream-corridor restoration projects. Based on the experiences of seasoned professionals, Renewing Our Rivers provides stream restoration practitioners the main steps to develop successful and viable stream restoration projects that last. Ecologists, geomorphologists, and hydrologists from dryland regions of Australia, Mexico, and the United States share case studies and key lessons learned for successful restoration and renewal of our most vital resource. The aim of this guidebook is to offer essential restoration guidance that allows a start-to-finish overview of what it takes to bring back a damaged stream corridor. Chapters cover planning, such emerging themes as climate change and environmental flow, the nuances of implementing restoration tactics, and monitoring restoration results. Renewing Our Rivers provides community members, educators, students, natural resource practitioners, experts, and scientists broader perspectives on how to move the science of restoration to practical success.

Wetland and Stream Rapid Assessments: Development, Validation, and Application describes the scientific and environmental policy background for rapid wetland and stream assessments, how such assessment methods are developed and statistically verified, and how they can be used in environmental decision-making—including wetland and stream permitting. In addition, it provides several case studies of method development and use in various parts of the world. Readers will find guidance on developing and testing such methods, along with examples of how these methods have been used in various programs across North America. Rapid wetland and stream functional assessments are becoming frequently used methods in federal, state and local environmental permitting programs in North America. Many governments are interested in developing new methods or improving existing methods for their own jurisdictions. This book provides an ideal guide to these initiatives. Offers guidance for the use and evaluation of rapid assessments to developers and users of these methods, as well as students of wetland and stream quality Contains contributions from sources who are successful in academia, industry and government, bringing credibility and relevance to the content Includes a statistically-based approach to testing the validity of the rapid method, which is very important to the usefulness and defensibility of assessment methods