Lecture 1

Question 1

Why Monitor?

Think resources, population and their basic needs

Answer 1

Resources under stress to meet the demands of a growing population.
Is a critical need to understand factors that impact the ability to provide basic needs.

Question 2

What is monitoring concerned with + purpose?

Answer 2

obtaining objective observations and measurements, in order to derive knowledge to inform decision making regarding the use of the environment.

Question 3

What causes environmental change? What must we consider?

Answer 3

Cause = Human activities 
Consider = individual components and interactions

Question 4

Environmental Monitoring Definition

Answer 4

To gather objective information on the environment.

Techniques = maintain scientific methods and standards so data is easily understandable and defensible.

Question 5

What does Environmental Monitoring allow?

Answer 5

Informed decision making - trends can be identified and information can be compared with other data.

Question 6

Monitoring of the environment is undertaken at a variety of levels and to meet various political and legal agendas. Name the four levels, give examples?

Answer 6

Global (OCED, World Bank)
National (NZ “State of the Environment Report”)
Regional (Environment Waikato’s Reports)
Local (Individual/ community observations)

Question 7

What questions can you ask to check the validity? (think hearsay, conclusions, and uncertainty).

Answer 7

First-hand knowledge or hearsay?
Controlled, sound, science, or pseudoscience?
Does the conclusion match the evidence?
Can alternate conclusions be reached?
Expect and tolerate uncertainty.

Question 8

Correlation does NOT equal causation

Name three types of correlations (Hint: what cause what, reasons behind results)?

Answer 8

B causes A (reverse causation) or third factor C (the common-casual relationship) and coincidence are some examples.