Measuring Abundance: Methods for the Estimation of Population Size and Species Richness

This book provides a comprehensive guide to estimating the abundance of individuals in nature, covering stationary items, mobile individuals, and species richness. It is essential for ecological research and conservation monitoring, with example code and references to other widely used programs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 229 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2020
Publisher: Pelagic Publishing

Ecological research and conservation monitoring are fundamentally reliant on the accurate measurement of both individual abundance and species diversity. This comprehensive book serves as a valuable resource, compiling the diverse methods employed to estimate the presence of individuals in nature. Each method is thoroughly explained, accompanied by practical insights into survey design and data collection. The book showcases a wide range of data, encompassing diverse species from Alaskan shrubs to Yellowstone grizzly bears, as well as Costa Rican ants and Prince Edward Island lobsters. Where applicable, example code for use with the open-source software R is provided, alongside references to other widely utilized programs.

The book begins with a concise overview of relevant statistical techniques, paving the way for subsequent sections. The first section focuses on the abundance of stationary items, including trees, shrubs, coral, and more. It delves into the use of quadrats and transects in forestry sampling and plant cover assessment, as well as line-intercept sampling, nearest-neighbour distances, and variable-sized plots.

The second section explores the measurement of individuals that move, encompassing a diverse range of species such as birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, and more. Approaches discussed include double-observer sampling, removal sampling, capture-recapture methods, and distance sampling.

The final section delves into the measurement of species richness, diversity, abundance distributions, and other aspects of diversity, including evenness, similarity, turnover, and rarity. This section serves as a crucial reference for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate ecological research and teaching, as well as individuals involved in planning and executing data analysis for conservation survey and monitoring programs.

In conclusion, this book is an indispensable resource for researchers, educators, and practitioners seeking to enhance their understanding and application of methods for estimating individual abundance and species diversity in ecological research and conservation. Its comprehensive coverage, practical insights, and illustrative examples make it a valuable asset for advancing our knowledge and conservation efforts in the natural world.

Weight: 582g
Dimension: 251 x 176 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781784272326