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The three techniques I used were: systematic area, random area and haphazard.
The fastest method was systematic area with a total time of 12 hours, 37 minutes. Second fastest was Haphazard with a total time of 12 hours, 56 minutes. The longest sampling time was random area with a total sampling time of 13 hours, 14 minutes.
The calculated percent error for the most common species:
Eastern Hemlock
systematic area: 1.25%
random area: 22.58%
haphazard: 2.14%
Sweet Birch
systematic area: 8.94%
random area: 94.04%
haphazard: 21.7%
The calculated percent error for the least common species:
White Pine
systematic area: 4.76%
random area: 42.86%
haphazard: 52.38%
Striped Maple
systematic area: 100.00%
random area: 128.57%
haphazard: 14.28%
The accuracy was better with the higher density species. As the density lowers, a much higher error occurs. Using a systematic area method had the best chance of a low error with errors generally below 10% except where the species was not detected at all. Haphazard also produced lower errors while the random area method produced errors of at least 22.58% ranging up to 128.57%.
