A multivariate method for determining optimal subsample size in the analysis of macroinvertebrate samples

Abstract

The depauperate macroinvertebrate communities of two disturbed urban streams were used to demonstrate a technique for determining optimal subsample size for the multivariate representation of community structure. Although multivariate analyses have commonly been applied to subsampled data, the effect of subsampling on multivariate patterns has not previously been investigated in detail. The minimum requirement for applying the method is eight fully processed community samples distributed across two treatments, with n = 4 (being a representative subset of a larger study to which subsampling will be applied). The data from each sample are subsampled repeatedly with the aid of a simulation prog..