Use of power analysis to develop detectable significance criteria for sea urchin toxicity tests

Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management
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Abstract

When sufficient data are available, the statistical power of a test can be determined using power analysis procedures. The term “detectable significance” has been coined to refer to this criterion based on power analysis and past performance of a test. This power analysis procedure has been performed with sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) fertilization and embryological development data from sediment porewater toxicity tests. Data from 3100 and 2295 tests for the fertilization and embryological development tests, respectively, were used to calculate the criteria and regression equations describing the power curves. Using Dunnett's test, a minimum significant difference (MSD) (β = 0.05) of 15.5% and 19% for the fertilization test, and 16.4% and 20.6% for the embryological development test, for α ≤ 0.05 and α ≤ 0.01, respectively, were determined. The use of this second criterion reduces type I (false positive) errors and helps to establish a critical level of difference based on the past performance of the test.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Use of power analysis to develop detectable significance criteria for sea urchin toxicity tests
Series title Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management
DOI 10.1080/14634989908656979
Volume 2
Issue 4
Year Published 1999
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Contributing office(s) Columbia Environmental Research Center
Description 6 p.
First page 413
Last page 418
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