ESTIMATING MEAN AND VARIANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES WITH BELOW DETECTION LIMIT OBSERVATIONS1

ABSTRACT: Left-censoring of data sets complicates subsequent statistical analyses. Generally, substitution or deletion methods provide poor estimates of the mean and variance of censored samples. These substitution and deletion methods include the use of values above the detection limit (DL) only, or substitution of 0, DL/2 or the DL for the below DL values during the calculation of mean and variance. A variety of statistical methods provides better estimators for different types of distributions and censoring. Maximum likelihood and order statistics methods compare favorably to the substitution or deletion methods. Selected statistical methods applicable to left-censoring of environmental data sets are reviewed with the purpose of demonstrating the use of these statistical methods for coping with Type I (and Type II) left-censoring of normally and log-normally distributed environmental data sets. A PC program (UNCENSOR) is presented that implements these statistical methods. Problems associated with data sets with multiple DLs are discussed relative to censoring methods for life and fatigue tests as recently applied to water quality data sets.     

Assessment of contamination and biomarker responses in two species of herons on the St. Lawrence river

This study was undertaken to validate potential biomarkers of exposure and effects due to chemical contaminants in breedingcolonies of the Great Blue Heron and the Black-crowned Night-Heron on the St. Lawrence River. Eggs and fledglings from both species were collected from many colonies along theRiver. The fledglings from colonies in freshwater and brackishwater were more contaminated by mercury and PCBs than those from estuarine and gulf colonies. With respect to fledglings ofthe two heron species, some morphometric and blood biochemicalmeasurements, including plasma thyroid hormones and retinol, were significantly different among colonies. Significant differences were also observed in liver retinoids, EROD and porphyrins among colonies. The results of this study suggestthat plasma retinoids and thyroid hormones are good biomarkersof exposure and effects, and are sufficiently sensitive to reflect local and regional variations in contamination. Along with the measure of contaminants in egg and plasma, they constitute non-invasive biomarkers which represent an importantcriteria for long term monitoring of wildlife species. It is concluded that the Great Blue Heron is an appropriate sentinelspecies in the surveillance network for the St. Lawrence River.     

Methods development and use of macroinvertebrates as indicators of ecological conditions for streams in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands Region

The Mid-Atlantic Highlands Assessment (MAHA) included the sampling of macroinvertebrates from 424 wadeable stream sites to determine status and trends, biological conditions, and water quality in first through third order streams in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands Region (MAHR) of the United States in 1993–1995. We identified reference and impaired sites using water chemistry and habitat criteria and evaluated a set of candidate macroinvertebrate metrics using a stepwise process. This process examined several metric characteristics, including ability of metrics to discriminate reference and impaired sites, relative scope of impairment, correlations with chemical and habitat indicators of stream disturbance, redundancy with other metrics, and within-year variability. Metrics that performed well were compared with metrics currently being used by three states in the region: Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Some of the metrics used by these states did not perform well when evaluated using regional data, while other metrics used by all three states in some form, specifically number of taxa, number of EPT taxa, and Hilsenhoff Biotic Index, performed well overall. Reasons for discrepancies between state and regional evaluations of metrics are explored. We also provide a set of metrics that, when used in combination, may provide a useful assessment of stream conditions in the MAHR.     

Evaluation of alternatives for extending the life of landfills

Given the difficulty, as well as the high cost, of siting and constructing municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills it is incumbent on landfill managers to evaluate all practical measures to extend the useful life of existing landfills. This necessitates not only identifying potential methods to extend their life, but also the means to assess at what time horizons in the landfill's life such measures are cost effective. Some typical examples of methods to extend their life include: size reduction of incoming waste, improved in-place compaction density, use of alternative daily cover, waste diversion, and accelerating the degradation to enhance attendant settlement on the MSW. Most, if not all, of these methods incur capital/operating costs that must be evaluated. The methodology for this analysis is presented using the existing landfill at Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB), Guam, as a model for the procedure. The Landfill Extension Model (LEM) computer program was written to model the AAFB landfill and to analyze various extension alternatives to include compaction, shredding, alternative daily cover and operation outsourcing (contracting). The LEM computer program may be used to evaluate any landfill operation and is consequently useful for evaluating any existing landfill. It was found that by utilizing all of the proposed alternatives the life of AAFB landfill could be extended from 10 years to 48 years.     

Trends in Global Protected Area Governance,1992–2002

Governance refers to the interactions among structures, processes, and traditions that determine direction, how power is exercised, and how the views of citizens or stakeholders are incorporated into decision-making. Governance is now recognized as a critical aspect of effective conservation and is a prominent part of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s work program on protected areas. This study reports on a global survey to assess changes in governance of protected area systems between 1992 and 2002 based on responses from 41 countries. Results indicate that substantial changes have taken place with overall trends towards increased participation of more stakeholders, greater use of formal accountability mechanisms, and a wider range of participatory techniques. Many of these changes are supported by legislative and policy requirements and 75% of respondents reported changes in legislation over the past decade. Protected areas are becoming more influenced by global forces. A majority of respondents reported increased involvement of the private sector. Funding is coming from a broader range of sources, with a smaller proportion of income coming from government sources in 2002. Absolute funding amounts have increased, but almost two-thirds report that budgets fall short of requirements. Almost 90% of respondents felt that protected area governance had improved over the last decade; 67% felt that this had also led to improved management effectiveness. Respondents felt that secure funding, capacity building, and increased community involvement were the main governance needs for the future.     

Persistence and developmental transition of wide seismic lines in the western Boreal Plains of Canada

This study examined the fate of seismic lines utilized in oil and gas exploration in Canada's western Boreal Plains. It retrospectively followed the persistence, recovery and developmental transition of seismic lines established between the 1960s and the mid-1970s through to 2003. We examined lines that passed through three forest types; aspen, white spruce, and lowland black spruce. In general, the recovery rates of seismic lines to woody vegetation were low. After 35 years, 8.2% of seismic lines across all forest types had recovered to greater than 50% cover of woody vegetation. Only the upland forest types recovered; aspen and white spruce. Most seismic lines ( approximately 65% at 35 years) remained in a cleared state with a cover of low forbs. The most common transition for seismic lines was to tracked access ( approximately 20% at 35 years). Transition to other anthropogenic developments such as roads, pipelines, buildings, and timber harvest blocks was 5% after 35 years. The pulse of industrial activity initiated in the mid-1990s greatly increased the transition rate of seismic to tracked access for a short period of time. The discussion focused on natural and anthropogenic factors that hinder recovery and on the management directions that would facilitate greater recovery rates.     

Analysis of macroinvertebrate assemblages in relation to environmental gradients among lotic habitats of California's Central Valley

We assessed relationships between environmental characteristicsand macroinvertebrate assemblages in lotic habitats of California's Central Valley with community metric and multivariate statistical approaches. Using canonical ordinationanalyses, we contrasted results when assemblage structure was assessed with macroinvertebrate metrics, as suggested for use inindices of biotic integrity, or with genera abundances. Our objectives were to identify metrics or taxa diagnostic of loticenvironmental stressors and compare the capacity of theseapproaches to detect stressors in order to suggest how they mightbe used to diagnose stressors. For macroinvertebrate metrics,redundancy analysis (RDA) extracted three axes correlated withchannel morphology and substrates. For genera abundances, canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) extracted two axescorrelated with soluble salts and with channel morphology andsubstrates but did not separate these gradients onto differentaxes. Cluster analyses identified five RDA and five CCA sitegroups, which exhibited differences for environmental variables,metrics, or genera abundances, and agreement between the analysesin partitioning of sites was greater than if sites were partitioned randomly. These approaches differ in their abilityto detect environmental stressors, because they measure differentaspects of assemblages and would be complementary in design ofnew metrics diagnostic of stressors.