Abstract
In this study, we estimate the forest stock volume by multiplying the number of trees detected remotely by the estimated mean individual volume of the population (individual approach). A comparison was made with the conventional inventory method (area approach), which included 100 simulations of a simple random sampling process and a Bootstrap resampling. The study area included three stands: stand 1, 16-year-old pine; stand 2, 7-year-old pine; and stand 3, 5-year-old eucalyptus. A census was carried out in each stand for the variables diameter and total height. Individual volume was estimated by a ratio estimator, and the sum of all volumes was considered as the total parametric volume. The area approach presented parametric values within the confidence interval for 91%, 94%, and 98% of the simulations for the three stands, respectively. The mean relative errors for the area approach were −3.5% for stand 1, 0.3% for stand 2, and −0.9% for stand 3. The errors in stands 1 and 3 were associated with the spatial distribution of the volume. The individual approach proved to be efficient for all stands, and their respective parametric values were within the confidence interval. The relative errors were 1% for stand 1, −0.7% for stand 2, and 1.8% for stand 3. For stand 1 and 3, this approach yielded better results than the mean values obtained by the area approach simulations (Bootstrap resampling). Future research should evaluate other remote sources of data and other forest conditions.
Highlights
Planted forests occupy approximately 294 million hectares or 7% of the global forest area [1] They constitute a sustainable alternative for the global demand for timber products [2,3] and their use has led to a decline in the deforestation of natural forests [4,5,6]
A precise estimation of the forest area is fundamental, since the results of the sampling are multiplied by it to determine the final estimate of the whole forest [15]
Several factors can contribute to this error, such as: non-representative sampling units, lack of quality control in planting, presence of gaps and clearings due to damage caused by winds or pests and diseases
Summary
Planted forests occupy approximately 294 million hectares or 7% of the global forest area [1] They constitute a sustainable alternative for the global demand for timber products [2,3] and their use has led to a decline in the deforestation of natural forests [4,5,6]. Several factors can contribute to this error, such as: non-representative sampling units, lack of quality control in planting (spacing), presence of gaps and clearings due to damage caused by winds or pests and diseases All these factors can affect the quality of the mapping of forest areas and, the results of forest inventories. According to the study of [18], the sampling method used to determine the volume per hectare of Pinus taeda plantation was efficient and reliable; the error in the stand area was responsible for a 13.84% increase in the estimated volume, demonstrating the importance of a consistent cartographic basis [17] For this reason, [16] suggested that if the number of trees in the stands was known, the average volume of trees in the plots could be extrapolated by the total number of trees, reducing the inventory error
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