Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Testing Water Quality01:14

Testing Water Quality

451
When the quality of water for concrete preparation is uncertain, its impact on the setting time of cement and compressive strength of mortar is assessed by comparison with de-ionized or distilled water benchmarks. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C1602 requires the setting times to be within 90 minutes of the control, British Standard (BS) 3146:1980 allows a 30-minute variance in the initial setting, while British Standards European Norm (BS EN) 1008 specifies initial setting...
451
The Anderson-Darling Test01:16

The Anderson-Darling Test

1.2K
The Anderson-Darling test is a statistical method used to determine whether a data sample is likely drawn from a specific theoretical distribution. Unlike parametric tests, it does not require assumptions about specific parameters of the distribution. Instead, it compares the sample's empirical cumulative distribution function (ECDF) with the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the hypothesized distribution. Critical values for the test are specific to the chosen distribution rather...
1.2K
Statistical Methods to Analyze Parametric Data: Student t-Test and Goodness-of-Fit Test01:09

Statistical Methods to Analyze Parametric Data: Student t-Test and Goodness-of-Fit Test

7.0K
In parametric statistics, two fundamental tests stand out for their utility and wide application: the Student's t-test and goodness-of-fit tests. These tests provide researchers with a robust method for drawing insights from data, testing hypotheses, and making informed decisions based on their findings.
The Student's t-test is a statistical test that examines if there is a statistically significant difference between the means of two groups. This test is instrumental when dealing with...
7.0K
Random Error01:04

Random Error

10.0K
Random or indeterminate errors originate from various uncontrollable variables, such as variations in environmental conditions, instrument imperfections, or the inherent variability of the phenomena being measured. Usually, these errors cannot be predicted, estimated, or characterized because their direction and magnitude often vary in magnitude and direction even during consecutive measurements. As a result, they are difficult to eliminate. However, the aggregate effect of these errors can be...
10.0K
Comparing Experimental Results: Student's t-Test01:09

Comparing Experimental Results: Student's t-Test

6.4K
The t-test is a statistical method used to compare the sample mean with a population mean or compare two means from two data sets. The test statistic is calculated from the standard deviation, mean, and number of measurements in the data set at a selected confidence interval and then compared to a table of critical values at this confidence level. If the test statistic is smaller than the critical value, the null hypothesis is accepted. In this case, we state that the difference between the...
6.4K
Thermal Stress01:09

Thermal Stress

3.5K
If the temperature of an object is changed while it is prevented from expanding or contracting, the object is subjected to stress. The stress is compressive if the object expands in the absence of constraint and tensile if it contracts. This stress resulting from temperature change is known as thermal stress. It can be quite large and can cause damage. To avoid this stress, engineers may design components so they can expand and contract freely. For instance, on highways, gaps are deliberately...
3.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

EcoToxChip reveals immune and metabolic pathway disruption in fish chronically exposed to stormwater-impacted environments.

Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026
Same author

The Utility of Fish Population Monitoring and Forecast Trigger Development for Designing Adaptive Aquatic Monitoring Plans for Large Industrial Developments.

Environmental management·2025
Same author

Identifying transcriptomic indicators of tertiary treated municipal effluent in longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae) caged under semi-controlled conditions in experimental raceways.

The Science of the total environment·2024
Same author

Combining chemical, bioanalytical and predictive tools to assess persistence, seasonality, and sporadic releases of organic micropollutants within the urban water cycle.

Water research·2023
Same author

Examination of recent hydroelectric dam projects in Canada for alignment of baseline studies, predictive modeling, and postdevelopment monitoring phases of aquatic environmental impact assessments.

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2023
Same author

Putting the Mantel test back together again.

Ecology·2022
Same journal

Boring into groundwater impact predictions of hardrock mines in Canada reveals inconsistent modelling timelines, monitoring plans, and consideration of climate change.

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
Same journal

Brazilian soil conditions in ecotoxicological tests: do international protocols represent the reality?

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
Same journal

Correction to: Evaluation of pesticide residues in cereals at BBCH 30-39 to inform the wild mammals risk assessment (medium herbivorous scenario).

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
Same journal

Valuation of River Ecosystem Services by Rural Communities in the Colombian Orinoquia: A Volunteer Labor-for-Restoration Choice Experiment.

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
Same journal

Beyond Source Restrictions: Combined Mitigation Strategies Substantially Reduce Emissions and Exposure of Intentionally Added Microplastics in the UK.

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
Same journal

The role of Life Cycle Assessment in the Safe and Sustainable by Design: lessons learnt from a case study.

Integrated environmental assessment and management·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions
07:54

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Published on: March 9, 2021

3.4K

Testing against "normal" with environmental data.

Bruce W Kilgour1, Keith M Somers1,2, Timothy J Barrett3

  • 1Kilgour & Associates Ltd, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management
|March 7, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New statistical tests using noncentral distributions help accurately determine if environmental samples fall outside normal ranges. These methods improve accuracy and encourage larger sample sizes for more reliable monitoring program results.

Keywords:
Benthic invertebrate communityCritical effect sizeEnvironmental monitoringNormal rangeStudy design

More Related Videos

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India
09:33

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India

Published on: December 23, 2022

3.1K
Development and Testing of Species-specific Quantitative PCR Assays for Environmental DNA Applications
08:54

Development and Testing of Species-specific Quantitative PCR Assays for Environmental DNA Applications

Published on: November 5, 2020

16.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions
07:54

Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions

Published on: March 9, 2021

3.4K
Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India
09:33

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India

Published on: December 23, 2022

3.1K
Development and Testing of Species-specific Quantitative PCR Assays for Environmental DNA Applications
08:54

Development and Testing of Species-specific Quantitative PCR Assays for Environmental DNA Applications

Published on: November 5, 2020

16.2K

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Ecology
  • Statistical Modeling

Background:

  • Normal ranges, typically 95% of a reference distribution, are crucial for environmental monitoring to identify deviations from expected conditions.
  • Current methods for comparing samples to normal ranges are prone to errors, especially near the range limits, leading to potential misinterpretations and significant costs.
  • These errors can impact the reliability of environmental effects monitoring programs that compare reference and exposure areas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and describe novel statistical tests based on noncentral distributions for accurately quantifying the likelihood of samples or means falling outside normal ranges.
  • To provide a statistical framework that reverses the burden of evidence, encouraging more robust sample sizes in environmental monitoring.
  • To offer practical tools for applying these tests to various study designs and data types in environmental assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Development of statistical tests utilizing noncentral distributions to assess if samples or means deviate from established normal ranges.
  • Application of noncentral equivalence and interval tests suitable for both univariate and multivariate data.
  • Illustration of statistical procedures using benthic invertebrate community data from the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program (RAMP) near oil sands operations.

Main Results:

  • The proposed noncentral tests provide a more appropriate method for quantifying the probability of exceeding normal range limits compared to direct comparisons.
  • These tests effectively encourage the collection of larger sample sizes, leading to more robust conclusions in environmental monitoring.
  • The methodology is versatile, applicable to diverse ecological data and complex study designs, enhancing the precision of environmental assessments.

Conclusions:

  • The noncentral distribution-based tests offer a statistically sound approach to identifying environmental samples outside normal ranges, reducing misclassification errors.
  • Implementing these tests enhances the reliability and cost-effectiveness of environmental monitoring programs by ensuring adequate sample sizes.
  • The study provides practical statistical procedures and tools, including an Excel workbook, to facilitate the application of these advanced methods in ecological research and management.