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Comparative Analysis of Line Transect, Point Transect, and Dome Camera Trap Methods in Waterbird Monitoring: Efficiency and Cost Considerations
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DOI：10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04299.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Effective biodiversity monitoring requires survey approaches that provide reliable detection while remaining logistically and economically feasible. However, long-term manual field surveys are challenging to conduct in high-elevation regions, making remote monitoring an increasingly adopted alternative. Yet comparative assessments of commonly used field methods—line transect, point transect, and camera-based survey—are scarce in high-elevation wetland systems. Understanding the differences among these monitoring methods is crucial for establishing high-elevation remote monitoring networks. We evaluated the performance of these three approaches for waterbird monitoring in the Zoige Wetland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Distance sampling models were used to estimate effective detection distance, detection probability, and density. Detection efficiency was quantified using species-accumulation modelling, and differences in monitoring performance were further examined through a structured cost-analysis framework to compare overall expenditure and cost per detection across methods. The three methods exhibited clear differences in survey outcomes. Line transects yielded the highest per-survey species richness and reached 95% of estimated richness after only 11 survey events, compared with 31 for point transects and over 145 for camera surveys. Effective detection distance and detection probability differed significantly among methods (LMM, P < 0.01). Density estimates derived from camera data were higher, largely reflecting the smaller effective detection distance associated with stationary viewpoints. Cost analyses showed that although cameras required greater initial investment, their low marginal operating cost made them more economical over longer monitoring periods, even after including estimated post-processing labor. Line transects provide the most efficient short-term assessments of avian diversity, whereas dome-camera systems offer a scalable and cost-effective option for long-term monitoring. Integrating complementary methods may therefore provide a more robust framework for future biodiversity assessments in wetland ecosystems.
Keywords:
waterbird monitoring
line transect
point transect
camera trap
efficiency
cost-effectiveness
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