Conceptual and Practical Issues in Monitoring Animals: A Review and Recommendations

Doherty, Paul

Interest in monitoring has increased in recent years with the realization that monitoring data can be a key component to understanding and managing biological systems. Societal pressure, starting in the 1960s, has caused monitoring activities to change from a main emphasis on game species and supporting the setting of harvest regulations, to focusing on the conservation of all flora and fauna. This enlarged purview is, in part, mandated by legislation such as the National Environmental Protection Act (1969), Endangered Species Act (ESA; 1973) and the Forest Management Act (1976). For the ESA in particular, monitoring data is instrumental in listing decisions as well as a required part of recovery and habitat conservation plans. The number of court actions related to this legislation has also increased in recent years, bringing additional attention to the integrity of monitoring activities and related management actions. This spotlight will continue to focus more narrowly on the scientific rigor and design supporting such data collection. Management decisions will need to be based on data that are defensible in court and additional emphasis needs to be placed on examining the role of monitoring plans, as well as their designs, in management. Many criticisms point to existing uncertainty concerning the role of monitoring, what to monitor, and what methods to employ, especially with limited resources. Below I will first explore two philosophical viewpoints on the role of monitoring. Second, I will concentrate on general methodological issues associated with monitoring. Third, I will review a selection of contemporary monitoring programs. And lastly, in summary, I will provide general recommendations to the Colorado Division of Wildlife. My discussion and examples will focus on terrestrial animal populations, but the conceptual and practical issues are applicable to other biota.