An Internet survey of private pond owners and managers in Texas /

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Schonrock, April Elizabeth, 1979-
Other Authors: Masser, Michael P. (Thesis advisor)
Format: Thesis eBook
Language:English
Published: [College Station, Tex.] : [Texas A&M University], [2005]
Subjects:
Online Access:Link to OAK Trust copy
Description
Abstract:This study was designed to integrate a mailing list-based survey with an internet-based presentation/response in order to take into account the trend toward selfadministration that is evident in everyday interactions with automated services that have taken the place of personal interactions. A random sample of 2,999 was taken from applicants for Triploid Grass Carp Permits from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. A forty-nine question survey was constructed containing five sections: general pond characteristics, physical pond characteristics, aquatic vegetation, fish andother wildlife, and management goals. The primary emphasis of this study was to determine what specific problems Texas pond owners faced, how widely these problems occurred, and where pond owners got the information they used to deal with pond management problems. A secondary emphasis of the project was to examine the potential presented by the Internet for use in this type of information gathering and distribution for Texas Cooperative Extension. An overall response rate of 21.3% (excluding non-deliverables and unusable submitted surveys) was obtained. Summary statistics for each question were calculated and then compared in order to gain a clearer picture of the pond management practices employed by Texas pond owners. These results indicated some initial discrepancies between pond owners' management practices and current management recommendations, most dramatically where aquatic vegetationwas concerned. The internet-based survey methodology worked effectively to lower the cost of distribution and the workload of data entry when compared to the mail survey.These benefits outweighed the disadvantages caused by survey error with the new methodology.
Item Description:"Major Subject: Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences"
Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Nov. , 09:45:50.)
Vita.
Abstract.
Electronic resource.
Format:Mode of access: World Wide Web.
System requirements: World Wide Web access and Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.