Combining panels for forest inventory and analysis estimation
Authors: | Paul L. Patterson, Gregory A. Reams |
Year: | 2005 |
Type: | General Technical Report |
Station: | Southern Research Station |
Source: | Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-80. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 79-84 |
Abstract
Addendum: The supplementary documents referenced in this manuscript are posted on the Web site https://www.fia.fs.usda.gov/library/sampling/index.phpThe term panel denotes a set of samples where the same elements are measured on two or more occasions. Historically, Forest Inventory and Anaysis (FIA) has used a single panel to conduct periodic surveys. Annual panels, however, allow greater flexibility because they can be combined in a variety of ways. Note that FIA assumes complete spatial coverage for each panel across the population of interest. When estimating inventory attributes for a single panel, the estimation approach proceeds as outlined in chapter 4. When estimating inventory attributes for combined panels, however, such procedures may require modification, depending on how the panels are combined. Related modifications are discussed in conjunction with the two specific methods presented in sections 5.2.1 and 5.2.2.