Key to Methods - Biotic Information
Biotic Sampling: The DAR Aquatic Surveys database contains data from a variety of DAR research projects including pre-1970 data from surveys by the Hawaii Division of Fish and Game. In addition to data collected by state biologists, information was gathered from published and unpublished data sources including surveys by federal researchers (USGS and USF&W Service), numerous university researchers, museum collections, and private consultants. DAR has conducted six types of sampling: point quadrat surveys, larval trapping surveys, impoundment surveys, rapid assessments, line transects, and general surveys. The point quadrat methodology is used most extensively in the surveys and was developed by DAR field biologists and technicians; its use has been described in Baker and Foster, 1992; Fitzsimons, Parham, & Nishimoto, 2004; Parham, 2005; Higashi and Nishimoto, 2007.
Survey reports are available separately by year sampled, number of samples, and distribution of reach type.
BIOTA INFORMATION
Species Lists: The complete list includes native and introduced species observed in all surveys conducted in the watershed. See Appendix 1 for a list of common names that correspond to scientific names.
Species Size: Data are provided on minimum, maximum, and average size of animals observed during DAR’s point quadrat surveys.
Average Density: average density of animals sampled during DAR’s point quadrat surveys. Data are averaged over all sampling efforts and grouped by reach type.
Observed Distributions: Data are provided for species presence and are summarized by reach type from all surveys.
