EVALUATION OF A NEW-TYPE OF BOX SPLITTER DESIGNED FOR SUBSAMPLING ESTUARINE ICHTHYOFAUNA

Citation
Bl. Winner et Rh. Mcmichael, EVALUATION OF A NEW-TYPE OF BOX SPLITTER DESIGNED FOR SUBSAMPLING ESTUARINE ICHTHYOFAUNA, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 126(6), 1997, pp. 1041-1047
Citations number
28
ISSN journal
00028487
Volume
126
Issue
6
Year of publication
1997
Pages
1041 - 1047
Database
ISI
SICI code
0002-8487(1997)126:6<1041:EOANOB>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
We designed and tested a wooden box splitter for use in subsampling es tuarine ichthyofauna in the field. Results showed that the splitter op erator had a significant effect on the estimation of the original samp le volume whereas the splitter being used did not. Estimates of the or iginal sample volumes of water or original fish abundances were biased . Coefficients of variation ranged from 1.90% to 4.10% for the volumet ric subsamples and from 0.00% to 29.02% for fish abundance subsamples. The precision of estimates of abundance or of species composition dec reased with increased splitting. However, the species composition and length-frequency distribution of the original samples were preserved i n the subsamples for 75% or more of the first-level splits. This subsa mpling device is practical in the field and statistically adequate for use in a fisheries program.