Abstract
Landscape ecologists may be faced with ranking the relative environmental quality of watersheds across a region. The rankings would be based on measured or modeled variables with inherent sources of error. This paper examines the impact of data uncertainty on the ranking assigned to watersheds. The approach is Monte Carlo simulation in which the individual variables are considered to be estimated with uncertainty. The results show that watersheds in the best and the worst condition have rankings that are robust to uncertainty but intermediate watersheds may be difficult or impossible to assign to a rank.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S.M. Bartell R.H. Gardner R.V. O’Neill J.M. Giddings (1983) ArticleTitleError analysis of predicted fates of anthracene in a simulated pond Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2 19–28 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3sXkt1Olsbs%3D
S.M. Bartell R.H. Gardner R.V. O’Neill (1992) Ecological Risk Estimation Lewis Ann Arbor, MI
D.A. Boughton E.R. Smith R.V. O’Neill (1999) ArticleTitleRegional vulnerability: a conceptual framework Ecosyst. Health 5 312–322 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1526-0992.1999.09949.x
R.H. Gardner R.V. O’Neill J.B. Mankin J.H. Carney (1981) ArticleTitleA comparison of sensitivity analysis and error analysis based on a stream ecosystem model Ecol. Model. 12 173–190 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0304-3800(81)90056-9
R.H. Gardner R.V. O’Neill (1983) Parameter uncertainty and model predictions: A review of Monte Carlo results M.B. Beck G. Straten ParticleVan (Eds) Uncertainty and Forecasting of Water Quality Springer-Verlag New York 245–257
D.D. Huff R.V. O’Neill W.R. Emanuel J.W. Elwood J.D. Newbold (1982) ArticleTitleFlow variability and hillslope hydrology Earth Surf. Processes Land. 7 91–94
K.B. Jones K.H. Riitters J.D. Wickham R.D. Tankersley R.V. O’Neill D.J. Chaloud E.R. Smith A.C. Neale (1997) An Ecological Assessment of the United States: Mid-Atlantic Region: A Landscape Atlas EPA/600/R-97/130. Office of Research and Development Washington, D.C
N.W. Locantore L.T. Tran R.V. O’Neill P.W. McKinnis E.R. Smith M. O’Connell (2004) ArticleTitleAn Overview of Data Integration Methods for Regional Assessment Environ. Monit. Assess. 94 IssueID1/3 249–261 Occurrence Handle15141459
R.V. O’Neill (1979) Natural Variability as a Source of Error in Model Predictions G.S. Innis R.V. O’Neill (Eds) Systems Analysis of Ecosystems International Cooperative Publishing House Fairland, Maryland 23–32
R.V. O’Neill R.H. Gardner F.O. Hoffman G. Schwarz (1981) ArticleTitleParameter uncertainty and estimated radiological dose to man from atmospheric 131I releases: A Monte Carlo approach Health Phys. 40 760–764 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3MXktFCrs7o%3D Occurrence Handle7263269
Smith E.R., Tran L. and O’Neill R.V. 2003. Regional Vulnerability Assessment for the Mid-Atlantic Region: Evaluation of Integration Methods and Assessment Results. EPA/600/ R-03/082
L.T. Tran C.G. Knight R.V. O’Neill E.R. Smith K.H. Riiters J. Wickham (2002) ArticleTitleFuzzy decision analysis for integrated environmental vulnerability assessment of the Mid-Atlantic region Environ. Manage. 29 IssueID6 845–859 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00267-001-2587-1 Occurrence Handle11992175
InstitutionalAuthorNameUSGS (1982) Codes for the Identification of Hydrologic Units in the United Sates and the Caribbean Outlying Areas USGS Circular 878-A. US Geological Survey Reston, Virginia
J.D. Wickham R.V. O’Neill K.H. Riitters T.G. Wade K.B. Jones (1997) ArticleTitleSensitivity of landscape pattern metrics to land cover misclassification and differences in land-cover composition Photogramm. Eng. Remote Sensing 63 397–402
J.D. Wickham K.B. Jones K.H. Riitters R.V. O’Neill R.D. Tankersley E.R. Smith A.C. Neale D.J. Chaloud (1999) ArticleTitleAn integrated environmental assessment of the Mid-Atlantic Region Environ. Manage. 24 IssueID4 553–560 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s002679900254 Occurrence Handle10501867
J.D. Wickham R.V. O’Neill K.B. Jones (2000) ArticleTitleA geography of ecosystem vulnerability Landscape Ecol. 15 495–504
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Although this work was reviewed by EPA and approved for publication, it may not necessarily reflect offcial Agency policy.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, E.R., McKinnis, P., Tran, L.T. et al. The Effects of Uncertainty on Estimating the Relative Environmental Quality of Watersheds Across a Region. Landscape Ecol 21, 225–231 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-005-1787-0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-005-1787-0