Offering a viable solution to the long-standing problem of estimating the abundance of rare, clustered populations, adaptive sampling designs are rapidly gaining prominence in the natural and social sciences as well as in other fields with inherently difficult sampling situations. In marked contrast to conventional sampling designs, in which the entire sample of units to be observed is fixed prior to the survey, adaptive sampling strategies allow for increased sampling intensity depending upon observations made during the survey. For example, in a survey to assess the abundance of a rare animal species, neighboring sites may be added to the sample whenever the species is encountered during the survey. In an epidemiological survey of a contagious or genetically linked disease, sampling intensity may be increased whenever prevalence of the disease is encountered.

Written by two acknowledged experts in this emerging field, this book offers researchers their first comprehensive introduction to adaptive sampling. An ideal reference for statisticians conducting research in survey designs and spatial statistics as well as researchers working in the environmental, ecological, public health, and biomedical sciences.

Adaptive Sampling:

• Provides a comprehensive, fully integrated introduction to adaptive sampling theory and practice
• Describes recent research findings
• Introduces readers to a wide range of adaptive sampling strategies and techniques
• Includes numerous real-world examples from environmental pollution studies, surveys of rare animal and plant species, studies of contagious diseases, marketing surveys, mineral and fossil-fuel assessments, and more

Praise for the Second Edition

"This book has never had a competitor. It is the only book that takes a broad approach to sampling . . . any good personal statistics library should include a copy of this book."--"Technometrics"

"Well-written . . . an excellent book on an important subject. Highly recommended."--"Choice"

"An ideal reference for scientific researchers and other professionals who use sampling."--"Zentralblatt Math"

Features new developments in the field combined with all aspects of obtaining, interpreting, and using sample data

"Sampling" provides an up-to-date treatment of both classical and modern sampling design and estimation methods, along with sampling methods for rare, clustered, and hard-to-detect populations. This Third Edition retains the general organization of the two previous editions, but incorporates extensive new material--sections, exercises, and examples--throughout. Inside, readers will find all-new approaches to explain the various techniques in the book; new figures to assist in better visualizing and comprehending underlying concepts such as the different sampling strategies; computing notes for sample selection, calculation of estimates, and simulations; and more.

Organized into six sections, the book covers basic sampling, from simple random to unequal probability sampling; the use of auxiliary data with ratio and regression estimation; sufficient data, model, and design in practical sampling; useful designs such as stratified, cluster and systematic, multistage, double and network sampling; detectability methods for elusive populations; spatial sampling; and adaptive sampling designs.

Featuring a broad range of topics, "Sampling," Third Edition serves as a valuable reference on useful sampling and estimation methods for researchers in various fields of study, including biostatistics, ecology, and the health sciences. The book is also ideal for courses on statistical sampling at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels.