Quartered neighbor method: A new distance method for density estimation |
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Authors: | Xunzhi Zhu and Jintun Zhang |
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Institution: | (1) Departmento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Caixa Postal 476, Florian?polis, CEP 88040-900, SC, Brazil;(2) Department of Plant Biochemistry and BioTechnology, Westphalian Wilhelm’s University of M?nster, M?nster, Germany |
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Abstract: | Quantitative data are essential to an appropriate characterization of vegetation. In the past few years, considerable attention
has been paid to vegetation sampling techniques. A number of methods have been developed for plant density estimations that
utilize spacing distances instead of fixed-area quadrats. In this paper, we review the main distance methods for estimating
density and propose a new distance method denominated the quartered neighbor method. In this method, the sampling point is
considered the center, and the area around it is divided into four quadrants. The distance from the closest individual in
each quadrant to its closest neighbor in the same quadrant is measured, and the average of them is the distance we need. It
is actually an integration of two old distance methods, the nearest neighbor method, and the point-centered quarter method.
With our new method and an old distance method (the point-centered quarter method), we calculated the average spacing distances
of the Larix principis-rupprechtii population in the larch forests of the Donglingshan Mountain. Comparing the two methods with the quadrat method, we found
they were almost the same in accuracy, but the precision of the new one was better. Meanwhile, it is adequate in sampling
intensity and adaptable for general use in rapid ecological survey work. |
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