Analysis of Water Quality Data for Scientists

Abstract

The most often used models are deterministic, although they are prepared from one sampling event. It must be stated that the statistics and model results obtained from this sampling event can significantly change if the sampling is to be reproduced because their results are probability variables (Kovács & Székely, 2006). In the case of deterministic models this problem is solved by means of sensitivity analyses, thus the uncertainty in the applied model remains. This may be the reason why the following can be found in the international literature regarding this question: “The future is stochastic modeling” (Kovács & Szanyi, 2005; Wilkinson, 2006). This chapter is intended to introduce the application of a few exploratory data analysis techniques, primarily through examples. Exploratory data analysis methods are useful and important tools for obtaining an overview of systems which can be described by many different parameters, for determining the latent and explicit connections between the parameters and for sorting and grouping the data obtained based on mathematics. The greatest value of this chapter lies in its interdisciplinary character; it casts light on environmental problems originating from a wetland ecosystem a river and a groundwater system as well.