Handling the MAUP: methods for identifying appropriate scales of aggregation based on measures on spatial and non-spatial variance

This manuscript looks at the measurement of water quality parameters through the collection of physical samples which are then analysed in an analytical laboratory compared to data generated by equipment placed in the environment. The advantage with this is that large volumes of data are collected at relatively low cost, however the instruments are not subject to the same scientific rigour as in the laboratory. A comparison of the two allows an assessment to be made of the two approaches.