Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture（二）.docVIP

Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture Population Monitoring Program Bird Monitoring Protocol for Forest Interior Birds Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) # 1: Conducting Variable Circular Plot Point Counts Since the publication of AA Land Managers Guide to Point Counts of Birds in the Southeast (Hamel et al. 1996), several papers have been published suggesting that Aunadjusted@ point counts do not provide accurate estimates of bird abundance or estimates of density (see overview by Thompson [2002]). That is, some birds are not detected due to: (1) variables that affect the observers ability to detect and correctly identify birds (e.g., experience, hearing acuity); (2) environmental factors (e.g., wind, vegetation); and/or (3) physical and behavioral attributes of birds themself (e.g., plumage coloration, singing rate). As a result, several methods, both field and analytical have recently been proposed as a means for incorporating detection probabilities, to adjust abundance and density estimates generated from point counts. For example, Bart and Earnst (2002) suggested double sampling and Nichols et al. (2000) suggested double observer sampling. Both of these methods are modifications to field sampling and as their name suggest, they essentially double the amount of time personnel spend in the field. Other methods described by Farnsworth et al. (2002) and Rosenstock et al. (2002) utilize computer programs to analyze data that were recorded in temporal intervals and distance bands, respectively. Although we do not discount the need for or the importance of double sampling and the use of double observers, these methods are labor intensive and reduce the number of points that can be counted during a give year (i.e., reduce sample size). As such, we believe the basic requirement for calculating detection probabilities while maintaining sample size is through both a temporal and spatial approach. That is, use of methods described by Farnsworth et al (2002) and R