Chapter 11: Program design: developing a comprehensive data strategy

In this chapter, we describe the logistics of designing a monitoring program to obtain data within an integrated coastal assessment framework. We begin with the challenge of explicitly defining program goals and objectives, and describe the role of conceptual models and diagrams in facilitating this process. We next describe the selection of a subset of physical and chemical indicators for monitoring ecosystem status and trends. We briefly provide some rules of thumb for sample designs, summarizing from other chapters within the handbook, and offer a more detailed exploration of the many data management issues frequently confronted by monitoring programs. The chapter concludes with discussions of data dissemination strategies and the benefits of collaborations and partnerships to leverage scarce data-collection resources.

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