Mai Po

Research and Monitoring

Baseline Ecological Monitoring

© WWF Hong Kong

The objective of baseline monitoring is to detect change in environmental indicators or features that can serve to act as a warning system for threats to the Reserve or its wildlife. To successfully detect these changes, data is continuously gathered at regular time intervals e.g. measuring the pH of pond water once per month.

The 2007-2010 Baseline Ecological Monitoring Plan sets out the key features/indicators to be monitored and methodologies for each. These are:

• Birds

  Morning Bird Count

  Ardeidae (Egrets and Herons) Roost Count

  Collared Crow Roost Count

  Wintering Anatidae (Ducks) Count

• Habitat

  Fixed Point Photography

• Invertebrates

  Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) Adult & Exuviae Counts

• Water Quality of Gei Wei and Freshwater ponds

  Data sets and results are published in the Research and Monitoring Work Annual Reports