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<br />40 <br /> <br />851 <br /> <br />CHAPTER 4 <br /> <br />852 <br /> <br />SCIENTIFIC pmLOSOPHY OF MONITORING <br /> <br />853 INTRODUCTION <br />854 Deciding what to measure, how, when, and where, as well as how to analyze and <br />855 interpret the resulting data are some of the most critical issues to be addressed in the <br />856 development of a long-term monitoring program. To be successful, the long-term monitoring <br />857 program must ensure that data collection, analysis, and interpretation will address specific <br />858 management needs and objectives. <br />859 The design of an effective long-term monitoring program is not a trivial task. Many <br />860 case studies indicate that long-term monitoring programs are often confused with data <br />861 collection activities that are part of research efforts. These programs are also affected by the <br />862 difficulty in selecting appropriate parameters to measure and the appropriate approach to use <br />863 in measurement. "For example, monitoring to measure degradation in fish communities <br />864 could focus on the number of species in the community, community trophic structure, <br />865 population estimates, the incidence of abnormalities, or many other parameters" (NRC, <br />866 1990). <br />867 As pointed out by the NRC (1990) monitoring programs must be designed to discern <br />868 change over time while accounting for variability and uncertainty in the system, and still <br />869 produce data sets that can be analyzed to determine cause and effect relationships. In <br />870 addition, monitoring needs to be dynamic so that monitoring needs can be prioritized and <br />871 modified in response to what is learned from the ongoing monitoring and research activities, <br />872 especially regarding the effectiveness of prescribed management actions, and in light of <br />873 real-world scientific, logistical, and financial constraints (NRC, 1990). <br />874 Successful monitoring and research programs generally require boundaries or <br />875 limitations to be defined. These limitations may be political, geographical, ecological, <br />876 temporal, or monetary, to name a few. The monitoring program for the Colorado River <br />877 ecosystem has several constraints including: <br />878 . institutional (Glen Canyon Dam Operating Criteria); <br /> <br />i <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />" <br />" <br /> <br />~ <br />.. <br />~- <br />.i: <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />November S, 1998 <br />SecoDd Draft - Do Not Cite, Pbotocopy, or DIstrIbute <br />