Ecology: As data flow, scientists advocate for quality control

In an article published recently in the journal Bioscience, research ecologists John Campbell and Lindsey Rustad of the U.S. Forest Service's Northern Research Station and colleagues make a case for incorporating automated quality control and quality assurance procedures in sensor networks.

"In the not distant future, sensor networks will be the standard technique used to collect data on all kinds of ecosystems," said Michael T. Rains, Director of the Northern Research Station and Acting Director of the Forest Products Lab. "Science is the backbone of land management planning and decision-making, and standard quality procedures are essential to assure that data is not just available, but reliable."

In "Quantity is Nothing Without Quality," Campbell and colleagues discuss reasons why sensors fail and how failures can be minimized or circumvented. They also describe methods for detecting and flagging suspect data and procedures for incorporating corrective measures into data streams. The article suggests best practices and approaches for implementing automated quality assurance/quality control procedures.

As scientists with the Forest Services' Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains, Campbell and Rustad know the promise and pitfalls of sensor networks.

"Extreme events are typically the most interesting and useful to evaluate, and those are the times when sensors often fail," said Campbell. "Raw data can be misleading if it does not properly characterize an event."

Co-authors on the report included John H. Porter, University of Virginia; ,Jeffrey R. Taylor, National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc.; Ethan W. Dereszynski, Oregon State University; James B. Shanley, U.S. Geological Survey; Corinna Gries, University of Wisconsin; Donald L. Henshaw, U.S. Forest Service; Mary E. Martin, University of New Hampshire; Wade. M. Sheldon, University of Georgia; and Emery R. Boose, Harvard University.

The article, "Quantity is Nothing without Quality: Automated QA/QC for Streaming Environmental Sensor Data," is available at: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/43678