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Comparison of Past, Present, and Future Volume Estimation Methods for Tennessee

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Forest Inventory and Analysis 1999 survey data for Tennessee were used to compare stem-volume estimates obtained using a previous method, the current method, and newly developed taper models that will be used in the future. Compared to the current method, individual tree volumes were consistently underestimated with the previous method, especially for the hardwoods. The taper models produced estimates very similar to the current method for both hardwoods and softwoods. When expanded to a statewide basis, the previous method differed from the current by -2.128 by 109 cubic feet, which represents an 8.16-percent underestimate. Hardwoods again were more severely underestimated than softwoods. Conversely, results from the taper method deviated only 0.230 by 109 cubic feet from the current method, or 0.88 percent, which is of little concern.

Keywords

FIA, taper equations, volume

Citation

Zarnoch, Stanley J.; Clark, Alexander, III; Souter, Ray A. 2003. Comparison of Past, Present, and Future Volume Estimation Methods for Tennessee. Res. Note SE-12. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 8 p.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/5456