Reudink, Post 4: Sampling Strategies

Which technique had the fastest estimated sampling time?

The systematic sampling technique had the fastest sampling time where 25 samples took 12 hours, 36 minutes.

Compare the percentage error of the different strategies for the two most common and two rarest species.

(most common to least common)

Systematic:

Eastern Hemlock (520.0-469.9)/469.9 * 100 = 10.7%

Sweet Birch (144.0-117.5)/117.5 * 100 = 22.6%

Striped Maple (44.0-17.5)/17.5 * 100 = 151.4%

White Pine (8.0-8.4)/8.4 * 100 = 4.8%

Mean percent error from above calculations = 47.4%

Random:

Eastern Hemlock (520.8-469.9)/469.9 * 100 = 10.8%

Sweet Birch (154.2-117.5)/117.5 * 100 = 31.2%

Striped Maple (41.7-17.5)/17.5 * 100 = 138.2%

White Pine (8.3-8.4)/8.4 * 100 = 1.2%

Mean percent error from above calculations = 45.4%

Haphazard:

Eastern Hemlock (504.0-469.9)/469.9 * 100 = 7.3%

Sweet Birch (140.0-117.5)/117.5 * 100 = 19.1%

Striped Maple (36.0-17.5)/17.5 * 100 = 105.7%

White Pine (4.0-8.4)/8.4 * 100 = 52.4%

Mean percent error from above calculations = 46.1%

Did the accuracy change with species abundance?

For the most part, yes. The most abundant tree, Eastern Hemlock, had a percent error ranging from 7.3-10.8% with a mean percent error of 9.6% across sample techniques. This was the most accurate mean percent error among all tree species. Interestingly though, the least abundant tree, White Pine, did not elicit the least accurate percent error across sampling techniques (PE = 19.5%). The least accurately measured tree species across sampling techniques wass the Striped Maple (PE = 131.8%).

Was one sampling strategy more accurate than another?

Based off the mean percent error of the two most abundant and two least abundant species, the random sampling strategy was the most accurate (mean PE = 45.4%)