Finding meaning in numbers: A statistical resource for land managers

Product Type: Science Feature

Year: 2001

Author(s): Cade, B. and M. Banowetz

Pages: 1

Suggested Citation: Cade, B. and M. Banowetz. 2001. Finding meaning in numbers: A statistical resource for land managers. http://www.fort.usgs.gov/resources/spotlight/blossom/blossom_home.asp.

Abstract

A century ago H.G. Wells commented that "statistical thinking will one day be as necessary for efficient citizenship as the ability to read and write." Each day of our lives we are exposed to a wide assortment of statistics pertaining to such phenomena as stock market activity, unemployment rates, medical research findings, opinion poll results, weather forecasts, and sports data. Frequently, such information has a profound impact on our lives. Statistics also have an important role in science and in the application of new information to the pressing environmental issues of today. The use of statistics in natural resource management can improve understanding of complex problems and allow for more informed decisions. By "making sense of data," statistical techniques enable researchers and managers to describe habitat requirements, test ideas and concepts, evaluate management alternatives and decisions, and predict changes...