Triangle Method: A New Distance Method for Density Estimation

Abstract:

Quantitative data are essential in characterizing vegetation. Considerable attention has been paid to vegetation sampling techniques. A series of methods have been developed for tree density estimation which utilize spacing distances instead of fixed-area quadrats. In this paper, a new plotless sampling method was proposed which we denominated a triangle method. With the new method and a conventional distance method (point-centred quarter method), we investigated Larix principis-rupprechtii population in larch forests at Xiaolongmen Forest Station of Donglingshan Mountain, Beijing. Compared the two methods with quadrat method, not only the accuracy, but also the precision of the new method are better than the old one. The results indicate that the new method is adequate to estimate tree density and easy to use in wood engineering and forest survey work.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 1010-1012)
• Pages: 1209-1214
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1010-1012.1209
• Online since: August 2014
• Authors: Xun Zhi Zhu, Ting Gao, Jin Tun Zhang*
• Keywords: Larix principis-rupprechtii, Plotless Sampling, Quadrat Method, Triangle Method

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