Ecological Census Techniques A Handbook

Almost all work in ecology or conservation requires a census of the population. In this book, experts from around the world describe the practical methods for carrying out a census. The book includes the underlying theory and the practical details for plants and each group of animals. Environmental measures are often made at the same time, so this book describes in detail how to carry these out. A final list of the 20 commonest censusing sins provides a light hearted guide to avoiding the common errors.

This is an updated version of the best selling first edition, Ecological Census Techniques, with updating, some new chapters and authors. Almost all ecological and conservation work involves carrying out a census or survey. This practically focussed book describes how to plan a census, the practical details and shows with worked examples how to analyse the results. The first three chapters describe planning, sampling and the basic theory necessary for carrying out a census. In the subsequent chapters international experts describe the appropriate methods for counting plants, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. As many censuses also relate the results to environmental variability, there is a chapter explaining the main methods. Finally, there is a list of the most common mistakes encountered when carrying out a census.

Preface; 1. Planning a research programme William J. Sutherland; 2. Principles of sampling Jeremy J. D. Greenwood and Robert A. Robinson; 3. General census methods Jeremy J. D. Greenwood and Robert A. Robinson; 4. Plants James M. Bullock; 5. Invertebrates Malcolm Ausden and Martin Drake; 6. Fish Isabelle M. Côté and Martin R. Perrow; 7. Amphibians Tim R. Halliday; 8. Reptiles Simon Blomberg and Richard Shine; 9. Birds David W. Gibbons and Richard D. Gregory; 10. Mammals Charles Krebs; 11. Environmental variables Jacquelyn C. Jones, John D. Reynolds and Dave Raffaelli; 12. The twenty commonest censusing sins William J. Sutherland; Index.

Most work in ecology or conservation requires a census of the population. Experts describe the practical methods necessary for carrying out a census. The book includes the underlying theory and the practical details for plants and each group of animals, alongside the environmental measures that can be done simultaneously.

WILLIAM J. SUTHERLAND is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia.