I wanted to know if a strip sampling method can be as effective as line transect sampling for tree inventory especially in representing a 0.1 ha of a forest area.
Dera Emily,
Both methods are basically the same. But with both approaches, segmented design is more efficient.
In representing 0.1 ha, I personally would just survey the entire thing. That is a really small section of forest.
Outside of that, I agree with Hormoz that the methods are essentially the same....strip sampling could be said to be a very wide line transect. But the larger the plants, the wider the berth is needed to accurately represent it. So if you are doing a tree inventory you will want to do strip sampling. When I do forest sampling we do a line transect for ground cover, a 2m strip for shrubs and small trees, and a 10m strip for all large trees.
A third option you left out in point sampling. You randomly situate points within the forest stand and sample a 5m or 10m radius circle around that point. This is what many forestry operations do. For such a small section of forest this is the option that I would use.
a significant difference between strips and plots is that one uses fewer strips than plots and thus have fewer degrees of freedom for a t value, which if there are only a few strips can result in a large t and a wide confidence interval. strips are used in tropical forests as there is often so much understory that point sampling is limited by visibility.
Dr. Noa is correct for tree inventory o.1 ha if you are surveying then it can be done total but if it is sample plot size or you are looking rgeneration studies then it can done by line transcet. As Carl told in tropical forest strips is possible and not point sampling . In open forest / plantaions point smapling can done easily and efficently.
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