monitoring
Monitoring is knowledge- and action-oriented planning
It is defined as the continuous monitoring of processes and certain properties. The aim is to obtain information about current conditions and trends over longer periods of time.
Learning something
Monitoring reveals processes and conditions in our environment.
detect changes
Monitoring creates the basis for necessary short-term decisions. Results provide information on unknown and long-term phenomena.
Raising awareness
You can only assess what you know. Challenges can be identified using a solid database.
decision-making aids
Monitoring is essential for setting goals and measures. Monitoring enables decisions to be made.
testing effectiveness
Monitoring results are the most important tool for testing the effectiveness of management measures.
Before a monitoring concept is developed, five questions must be answered:
Why — What — When — How — Who
monitoring methods and standards
SCALP: “Status and Conservation of the Alpine Lynx Population”
Monitoring is the continuous observation of processes and specific characteristics. This provides information about current conditions and trends over extended periods. Based on this data, informed decisions can be made and management measures implemented.
To ensure the comparability of monitoring data, the SCALP criteria (Status and Conservation of the Alpine Lynx Population) were developed. Originally created for monitoring the lynx, these criteria are now applied to the monitoring of all large predators. Collected data are categorized into four groups according to their reliability and verifiability.
Collected data are divided into four categories according to their significance and verifiability
Category 1
“Hard Facts” – Confirmed evidence such as dead animals, photographically documented sightings, captured animals, genetic evidence (e.g. through hair or fecal samples).
Category 2
Reports confirmed by trained specialists, e.g., attacks on livestock or wild animals, as well as confirmed traces.
Category 3
Unverified findings of cracks, tracks and droppings, – as well as all indications that cannot be verified in principle, such as vocalizations or visual observations without evidence.
Category 4
False reports or evidence that cannot be assigned to any evaluation because essential information is missing.
types of monitoring
Active Monitoring
Active monitoring involves the targeted collection of data. One method of active monitoring is systematic data collection – that is, presence indicators are recorded according to a defined plan that specifies the area and the times of collection. This structured approach makes it possible to identify changes over time and to extrapolate the results to larger areas using statistical methods.
Passive monitoring
In contrast, passive monitoring is opportunistic – that is, it is carried out whenever evidence arises by chance. There is no fixed spatial or temporal pattern. This makes it more difficult to compare the information or draw reliable conclusions. Gaps in distribution identified in this way therefore do not automatically mean that the species is actually absent – they may simply be due to a lack of observations.
habitat models
Habitat models are an important basis for planning monitoring. They can be used to define populations and to tailor active monitoring methods more specifically to the habitats of the respective species.
However, it is always important to consider how the habitat model used was created and on which data it is based (empirical-statistical models and non-quantitative expert models; reference area...).
Sources: Heurich, M. (ed.), 2019: Wolf, lynx and bear in the cultural landscape. Conflicts, opportunities, solutions in dealing with large predators. Practical library for nature conservation and landscape planning, edited by Prof. Dr. E. Jedicke. Ulmer-Verlag. Stuttgart. 287pp.
responsibility
In Austria, the federal states are responsible for monitoring large predators. Their data is analyzed nationwide by the Austrian Centre for Conservation (ÖZ) with the support of the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology. This analysis forms the basis for the... distribution maps and the Wolf status report in Austria.
A working group of the ÖZ has developed monitoring standards for the wolf.
Monitoring standards for the wolf
