An evaluation of semi‐automated methods for collecting ecosystem‐level data in temperate marine systems

Historically, marine ecologists have lacked efficient tools that are capable of capturing detailed species distribution data over large areas. Emerging technologies such as high‐resolution imaging and associated machine‐learning image‐scoring software are providing new tools to map species over large areas in the ocean. Here, we combine a novel diver propulsion vehicle (DPV) imaging system with free‐to‐use machine‐learning software to semi‐automatically generate dense and widespread abundance records of a habitat‐forming algae over ~5,000 m² of temperate reef. We employ replicable spatial techniques to test the effectiveness of traditional diver‐based sampling, and better understand the distribution and spatial arrangement of one key algal species. We found that the effectiveness of a traditional survey depended on the level of spatial structuring, and generally 10–20 transects (50 × 1 m) were required to obtain reliable results. This represents 2–20 times greater replication than have been collected in previous studies. Furthermore, we demonstrate the usefulness of fine‐resolution distribution modeling for understanding patterns in canopy algae cover at multiple spatial scales, and discuss applications to other marine habitats. Our analyses demonstrate that semi‐automated methods of data gathering and processing provide more accurate results than traditional methods for describing habitat structure at seascape scales, and therefore represent vastly improved techniques for understanding and managing marine seascapes.     

荒漠地区野生动物调查方法探讨——一种新的调查方法介绍

本文全面总结了我国野生动物调查的主要方法及应用,分析了已有方法在应用中的问题和缺陷,介绍了国际狩猎场的盘羊资源调查方法--地图样带法,并比较了该方法与样线法得出的调查结果差异和两种方法在实际应用中的区别.地图样带法没有长度和宽度概念,也没有规定样带的既定形状,提供了一种确定调查范围和计算样带面积的便捷方法,解决了过去调查中样带面积计算的难题.该方法完全根据实际调查的区域和地形地貌来确定样带的范围,使调查更具灵活性、机动性,并使密度的计算回归到了其本身的意义.该方法没有技术门槛,对广大基层野生动物保护工作者更具可操作性.     

北京地区红脂大小蠹空间分布型与抽样技术研究

对北京地区红脂大小蠹Dendroctonus valens LeConte空间分布型进行了研究。结果表明红脂大小蠹成聚集分布,其聚集原因是由红脂大小蠹本身的聚集行为或聚集行为与环境的异质性共同作用引起。同时,应用Iwao统计方法,提出了最适理论抽样数和最佳序贯抽样模型。     

Spatial auto-correlation and auto-regressive models estimation from sample survey data

Maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters for a spatial population based on data collected from a survey sample is usually straightforward when sampling and non-response are both non-informative, since the model can then usually be fitted using the available sample data, and no allowance is necessary for the fact that only a part of the population has been observed. Although for many regression models this naive strategy yields consistent estimates, this is not the case for some models, such as spatial auto-regressive models. In this paper, we show that for a broad class of such models, a maximum marginal likelihood approach that uses both sample and population data leads to more efficient estimates since it uses spatial information from sampled as well as non-sampled units. Extensive simulation experiments based on two well-known data sets are used to assess the impact of the spatial sampling design, the auto-correlation parameter and the sample size on the performance of this approach. When compared to some widely used methods that use only sample data, the results from these experiments show that the maximum marginal likelihood approach is much more precise.     

三叶斑潜蝇幼虫种群空间格局及抽样技术研究

三叶斑潜蝇Liriomyza trifolii是我国重要的园艺及蔬菜害虫,研究三叶斑潜蝇种群的空间格局和抽样技术,可为该虫的危害调查与防治提供理论依据。应用Iwao m*-m回归分析法、Taylor的幂法则及6个聚集指标,对三叶斑潜蝇幼虫在番茄和豇豆上的空间分布型和抽样技术进行了研究,并做了影响因素分析。结果表明:三叶斑潜蝇幼虫在番茄和豇豆上均呈聚集分布,分布的基本成分是以个体群形式存在,通过分布型参数,采用Kc法、Iwao法及Taylor幂法计算出了在不同精度下三叶斑潜蝇田间的理论抽样数。     

Using distance sampling and hierarchical models to improve estimates of Dall's sheep abundance

Management of large mammal populations has often been based on aerial minimum count surveys that are uncorrected for incomplete detection and lack estimates of precision. These limitations can be particularly problematic for Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) due to the high cost of surveys and variation in detection probability across time and space. The limitations of these methods have been recognized for some time, but previously proposed alternatives for sheep surveys proved to be too costly and logistically unfeasible in most circumstances (Udevitz et al. 2006). We assessed the potential for a combination of distance sampling surveys and a hierarchical modeling approach to provide a more efficient means for estimating Dall's sheep abundance by conducting aerial contour transect surveys over all sheep habitat in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR), Alaska in 2009 and 2010. We estimated the population of Dall's sheep was 8,412 (95% CI: 6,517–11,090) and 10,072 (95% CI 8,081–12,520) in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Abundance within the Itkillik Preserve area within GAAR was 1,898 (95% CI: 1,421–2,578) and 1,854 (95% CI: 1,342–2,488) in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Estimates of lamb abundance in 2010 were more than double those of 2009 after correcting for detection bias related to group size, suggesting that the apparent estimate of lambs in the population may be biased in some years depending on the degree of aggregation. Overall, the contour transect surveys were feasible logistically, cost 70–80% less than minimum count surveys, and produced precise estimates of abundance, indicating that the application of these methods could be used effectively to increase the statistical rigor and spatial extent of Dall's sheep abundance surveys throughout Alaska. These methods could be used to improve the assessment of long-term trends in populations and productivity and provide valuable information for harvest management at both local and landscape scales at reduced costs in comparison to traditional minimum count surveys. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Spatial Pattern Analysis of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes

Spatial patterns of Meloidogyne incognita, Tylenchorhynchus claytoni, Helicotylenchus dihystera, and Criconemella ornata were analyzed using Hill''s two-term local quadrat variance method (TTLQV), spectral analysis, and spatial correlation. Data were collected according to a systematic grid sampling plan from seven tobacco fields in North Carolina. Different estimates of nematode cluster size were obtained through TTLQV and spectral analysis. No relationship was observed between either estimate and nematode species, time of sampling (spring vs. fall), or mean density. Cluster size estimates obtained from spectral analysis depended on sampling block size. For each species examined, spatial correlations among nematode population densities were greater within plant rows than across rows, indicating that clusters were ellipsoidal with long axes oriented along plant rows. Analysis of mean square errors indicated that significant gains in sampling efficiency resulted from orienting the long axis of sampling blocks across plant rows. Spatial correlation was greater in the fall than in spring and was greater among 1 × 1-m quadrats than among 3 × 3-m quadrats.     

柠条重要害虫四线奇尺蛾天津亚种幼虫的空间分布研究

四线奇尺蛾天津亚种是近几年新发现的危害柠条的重要害虫,研究四线奇尺蛾种群的空间格局和抽样技术,可为该害虫的危害调查与防治提供理论依据。本文应用6个聚集指标和Taylor幂法则及Iwao的m~*-m回归分析法,对四线奇尺蛾天津亚种幼虫的空间分布型和抽样技术进行了研究,并做了影响因素分析。结果表明:四线奇尺蛾天津亚种幼虫在6个样地均呈聚集分布,分布的基本成分是个体群,通过分布型参数,采用Iwao法计算出了在不同精度下幼虫抽样数公式和序贯抽样模型,该模型可为四线奇尺蛾天津亚种的预测预报及防治提供理论依据。     

A statistical theory for sampling species abundances

The pattern of species abundances is central to ecology. But direct measurements of species abundances at ecologically relevant scales are typically unfeasible. This limitation has motivated a long-standing interest in the relationship between the abundance distribution in a large, regional community and the distribution observed in a small sample from the community. Here, we develop a statistical sampling theory to describe how observed patterns of species abundances are influenced by the spatial distributions of populations. For a wide range of regional-scale abundance distributions we derive exact expressions for the sampled abundance distributions, as a function of sample size and the degree of conspecific spatial aggregation. We show that if populations are randomly distributed in space then the sampled and regional-scale species-abundance distribution typically have the same functional form: sampling can be expressed by a simple scaling relationship. In the case of aggregated spatial distributions, however, the shape of a sampled species-abundance distribution diverges from the regional-scale distribution. Conspecific aggregation results in sampled distributions that are skewed towards both rare and common species. We discuss our findings in light of recent results from neutral community theory, and in the context of estimating biodiversity.     

马蔺体内主要阳离子含量月变化及分布

在自然盐碱生境下,通过测定不同月份土壤和马蔺体内主要阳离子Na⁺、K⁺、Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺的含量,研究了主要阳离子的吸收、转运变化及其在马蔺体内的分布.结果表明: 不同月份马蔺体内阳离子含量变动很大.在6月以后,随着马蔺的生长, Na⁺、K⁺、Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺4种离子在植物体内累积量逐渐增加.其中,根中Ca²⁺、Na⁺含量峰值出现在7月,分别为2.30%和0.51%,K⁺、Mg²⁺的含量峰值分别出现在9、10月,分别为0.27%和0.28%;叶片中Na⁺含量在7月达到最大值(0.57%);K⁺、Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺在8月分别达到1.30%、2.69%和0.47%.与Na⁺相比, 7、8月时马蔺对K⁺的选择吸收能力较低,但转运能力较强.马蔺对所测离子有很强的富集能力,各种离子在植物体内的含量都明显高于土壤背景值,且不同部位对离子的利用和累积能力不同,马蔺对各阳离子的累积主要集中在地上30 cm到地下40 cm范围内.马蔺地上部分平均单株K⁺、Na⁺、Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺含量分别是地下部分的9.11、4.07、0.98和2.27倍.     

萧氏松茎象幼虫的空间分布型和抽样技术

萧氏松茎象Hylobitelus xiaoi Zhang是我国近年来发现的危害松林的新害虫。该文利用1wao等7种方法对萧氏松茎象幼虫的空间分布型进行了测定。结果表明,萧氏松茎象幼虫在林间呈聚集分布,且符合负二项分布,由此得出了林间理论抽样数公式,其抽样方式以对角线最佳;其有虫株率与平均虫口密度之间的关系可用冥函数曲线方程：Y=2．916X^0.887来进行描述。     

稻田青翅蚁形隐翅虫成虫空间分布型和抽样模型的研究

稻田青翅蚊形隐翅虫成虫空间分布型测定结果表明：①频次分布检验为负二项分布;②聚集度指标测定为聚集分布;③m^n-m的线性回归方程为m^n=0．0099 2．4753m,表明属于具有公共K值的负二项分布．根据聚集均数(λ)测定结果,分析了聚集原因．在分布型研究基础上,探讨了资料代换模型、Kuno's种群序贯抽样模型和最适抽样数模型．     

拉缘蝽空间格局及抽样技术的研究

拉缘蝽空间格局测定结果表明,拉缘蝽的1—3龄若虫、4—5龄若虫和成虫等各虫态的空间格局均属于聚集分布,拉缘蝽1—3龄若虫聚集度最高,4—5龄若虫聚集度下降,成虫聚集度更低。在拉缘蝽空间格局的基础上,确定了Kuno风险决策序贯抽样表和1wao—Kuno（1968）理论抽样数。     

香蕉假茎象甲卵的空间格局研究

应用多种聚集度指标研究了香蕉假茎象甲卵在香蕉园的空间分布格局 ,结果表明该虫卵在所有密度下都是聚集分布 ,聚集程度与密度不相关 ,分布的基本成份是个体群。在空间格局研究基础上提出了理论抽样数公式 ,给出了不同密度下、不同误差要求的最适抽样数。     

桃潜叶蛾在桃园的空间分布型和取样技术研究

应用聚集度指标法、Iwao回归分析和频次比较法．研究了桃树重要害虫桃潜叶蛾成虫的空间分布型。结果表明桃潜叶蛾成虫在桃园呈负二项分布,分析提出了该害虫适宜的调查抽样方法。