Analyzing environmental time series: A review and Finnish case study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Shanmugam, Ramalingam¹ | Nevalainen, Kari²

Note: [1] Ramalingam Shanmugam is Associate Professor of Statistics in the Department of Mathematics, University of Colorado at Denver, U.S.A. He has been statistical consultant to environmental researchers. Time Series Analysis is an area of interest to him.

Note: [2] Kari Nevalainen is a graduate of Helsinki University, with an M.A. degree in philosophy and economics. He has been with the Central Statistical Office of Finland since 1982, working in the field of environment statistics. Currently a planning officer, Mr. Nevalainen is responsible for the planning and coordination of environment and related statistics.

Abstract: Knowledge on environmental changes is of great value to environmental managers and scientists. Because of the special characteristics of environmental phenomena, the information needed to make an assessment of environmental changes over time cannot be derived from the usual sampling techniques: time series analysis is needed. A quick survey reviewing what time series methods in the literature fit well the needs of environmental data analysis is timely. Secondly, the gap between mathematically complicated materials in the literature and oversimplifications that exist in textbooks which are insufficient for practicing environmental scientists can perhaps be bridged. An outline of ideas, assumptions, and limitations of some time series methods, supplemented by a Finnish case study on patterns and cyclicity in a microtine rodent population can be a useful quide for practical data analysis.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1988-5311

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 315-338, 1988