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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
07:39
A Video Surveillance System to Monitor Breeding Colonies of Common Terns (Sterna Hirundo)
Published on: July 22, 2018
Monitoring for conservation
James D Nichols1, Byron K Williams
1USGS, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD 20708, USA. jnichols@usgs.gov
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|August 22, 2006
Summary
Ecological monitoring programs should integrate with conservation science and management, not operate in isolation. This integration enhances efficiency and the utility of conservation efforts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Human-driven environmental changes necessitate robust ecological conservation efforts.
- Numerous global ecological monitoring programs have been established.
- Many current monitoring programs, focused on surveillance, are inefficient uses of resources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate the relevance of Platt's 1964 scientific conduct recommendations for modern ecological monitoring.
- To advocate for integrating ecological monitoring into broader conservation science and management frameworks.
Main Methods:
- Revisiting and applying principles from Platt's 1964 paper on scientific conduct to ecological monitoring.
- Conceptual analysis of monitoring program design and its role within conservation.
Main Results:
- Platt's recommendations on scientific practice are highly applicable to ecological monitoring.
- Viewing monitoring as a standalone activity is inefficient and limits its conservation impact.
Conclusions:
- Ecological monitoring should be intrinsically linked to conservation science or management processes.
- Realigning monitoring focus and design with integrated conservation goals will significantly improve efficiency and outcomes.
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