Using statistics and machine learning techniques effectively is a goal for any researcher. Fundamental understanding of the same is essential.

To study environmental phenomena and processes, a researcher, among other things, must plan the right experiments using validated methods, calibrate instruments, acquire, review, and check the results, quantify errors, and uncertainty, detect outliers, present the data concisely, identify spatio-temporal variations, trends, groups, associations, and their strength, ascertain causality, make objective conclusions based on the data and research questions, and predict future scenarios. 

Every step in the process is supported by some statistical procedure and machine learning techniques.