Article
 

Technical Note: Higher-order statistical moments and a procedure that detects potentially anomalous years as two alternative methods describing alterations in continuous environmental data

Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/4b29b7658

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Statistics of central tendency and dispersion may not capture relevant or desired characteristics of the distribution of continuous phenomena and, thus, they may not adequately describe temporal patterns of change. Here, we present two methodological approaches that can help to identify temporal changes in environmental regimes. First, we use higher-order statistical moments (skewness and kurtosis) to examine potential changes of empirical distributions at decadal extents. Second, we adapt a statistical procedure combining a non-metric multidimensional scaling technique and higher density region plots to detect potentially anomalous years. We illustrate the use of these approaches by examining long-term stream temperature data from minimally and highly human-influenced streams. In particular, we contrast predictions about thermal regime responses to changing climates and human-related water uses. Using these methods, we effectively diagnose years with unusual thermal variability and patterns in variability through time, as well as spatial variability linked to regional and local factors that influence stream temperature. Our findings highlight the complexity of responses of thermal regimes of streams and reveal their differential vulnerability to climate warming and human-related water uses. The two approaches presented here can be applied with a variety of other continuous phenomena to address historical changes, extreme events, and their associated ecological responses.
Resource Type
DOI
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Arismendi, I., Johnson, S. L., & Dunham, J. B. (2015). Technical Note: Higher-order statistical moments and a procedure that detects potentially anomalous years as two alternative methods describing alterations in continuous environmental data. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 19(3), 1169-1180. doi:10.5194/hess-19-1169-2015
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 19
Journal Issue/Number
  • 3
Rights Statement
Funding Statement (additional comments about funding)
  • Part of the data was provided by the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest Research Program, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Long-Term Ecological Research Program (DEB 08-23380), US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, and Oregon State University.Financial support for I. Arismendi was provided by US Geological Survey, the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station and Oregon State University through joint venture agreement 10-JV-11261991-055.
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details ArismendiIvanFisheriesWildlifeTechnicalNoteHigher.pdf 07/26/2017 Public
file details ArismendiIvanFisheriesWildlifeTechnicalNoteHigher_SupplementalMaterial.pdf 07/26/2017 Public