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J A M E S P. G I B B S
and β), and the statistical method used to analyze a count series. The primary
consequence of failing to make the best choices and thereby improve methods
for identifying population change in animal ecology will be a chronic failure to
detect population change. Unfortunately, these errors will often be misinterpreted as reflecting population stability, lack of treatment effect, or ineffectiveness of management. Neither the science of animal ecology nor the wild
resources under our surveillance should be expected to bear the consequences
of these errors.
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to L. Boitani and T. K. Fuller for the invitation to make a presentation at the
conference in Erice, Sicily, in December 1996. That opportunity provided me with the
impetus to assemble the information and ideas about population monitoring that are presented in this chapter. S. M. Melvin and S. Droege have also provided important encouragement and guidance to me on monitoring issues. The chapter was improved by comments from M. R. Fuller, R. J. Steidl, and an anonymous reviewer.
J A M E S P. G I B B S
and β), and the statistical method used to analyze a count series. The primary
consequence of failing to make the best choices and thereby improve methods
for identifying population change in animal ecology will be a chronic failure to
detect population change. Unfortunately, these errors will often be misinterpreted as reflecting population stability, lack of treatment effect, or ineffectiveness of management. Neither the science of animal ecology nor the wild
resources under our surveillance should be expected to bear the consequences
of these errors.
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to L. Boitani and T. K. Fuller for the invitation to make a presentation at the
conference in Erice, Sicily, in December 1996. That opportunity provided me with the
impetus to assemble the information and ideas about population monitoring that are presented in this chapter. S. M. Melvin and S. Droege have also provided important encouragement and guidance to me on monitoring issues. The chapter was improved by comments from M. R. Fuller, R. J. Steidl, and an anonymous reviewer.