How to read the population trend graphs

1. The trend above the graph is the estimate of % change per year over the period analyzed. For instance, a trend value of -1.7 % as in our example suggests an estimated population loss of 1.7% every year between 1996 and 2014.
2. "CI" (Credible Interval) is the range of values within which the true trend falls with a probability of 95%. (Very large CIs are not plotted to avoid distorting graphs.)
3. An asterisk (*) indicates that the direction of the trend (positive or negative) is correct with at least 95% probability.
4. The plotted population indices are relative measures of the numbers counted each season.
5. The population trajectory (blue line in the LOESS Smooth visualization) shows general change in population over time.