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Comparing the three different sampling strategies, the fastest sampling time was with the haphazard method (12 hours 30 minutes), then systematic random (12 hours 36 minutes), and then random (12 hours 42 minutes).
When comparing the percentage errors using the different sampling techniques for the two most common species, the most accurate method was systematic random sampling (7.2% and 5.5%). The next lowest sampling percentage error was with the haphazard technique (10% and 13.4%) and the highest sampling percentage errors was with the random sampling technique (11.5% and 25.5%).
When comparing the percentage errors using the different sampling techniques for the two rarest species, the most accurate method on average was haphazard sampling (52.6% and 48.8%). The next lowest sampling percentage error was with the systematic random technique (5.1% and 170%) and the highest sampling percentage error was with the random sampling technique (52.6% and 248%).
The accuracy with all techniques was greatest with the most abundant species. When the species were abundant the most accurate technique was the systematic sampling technique, but when the species were rare, all the methods had high error rates. It is difficult to conclude that one sampling method is superior to others as there was a wide range of species abundance, so I would select the method that required less time to complete.
