Using force analysis to target collection and analysis of environmental information

Knowledge of the forces driving and modifying ecosystems can be employed in concert with signal analysis to target the data most likely to yield sensi tivity and resilience information. One can optimize return of information p er investment of resources by targeting segments of signals that are domina ted by the force of interest, coupled with scientific understanding of the system of interest. This force analysis approach is an effective means both to design efficient new monitoring programs and to target relevant informa tion in large data files. We present five example applications of force ana lysis. Three examples illustrate this approach for an evaluation of whether Canadian rivers might be sensitive to changes in climate. It was concluded that Canadian rivers appear to be sensitive to changing climate. A fourth example illustrates how automated snow pillow data may be evaluated to asce rtain the sensitivity of snow accumulation to change in climate; It was con cluded that snow accumulation at the site evaluated did appear to be sensit ive to changing climate. The fifth example illustrates the assessment of wh ether a river recovers with the elimination of inputs of iron from an aband oned mine. It was concluded that resilience remained unproven since the riv er had not as yet restabilized. The force analysis approach focuses data co llection or data evaluation on those data required to answer specific resou rce management questions, greatly reducing collection or consideration of d ata that are not relevant to that question. This approach is potentially ve ry cost-efficient and therefore is likely to be of interest to hydrologists , climatologists, and environmental data managers.