GRS Sample Transect InfoSample Transect Field Data Collection Form, Data, and Report
GRS uses the GRS Densitometer™ for collecting ground truth and accuracy assessment data in our land cover mapping projects. We continue to expand the use of the line-point transect sampling methodology by increasing the type of data we collect. We have found line-point transect sampling to be a fast, effective, objective, and accurate method for collecting a wide variety of quantitative vegetation and ecological characteristics. We can obtain the same cover estimates by species, canopy layer, or size class using field crews with PhDs, as we did during our Redwood National and State Park mapping project, or with high school students that we trained to use the densitometer and assist our Field Botanists during our Galena Biomass Inventory Project. The use of such an objective process enables the collection of more data for less cost resulting in improved field data collection efficiencies. In addition, this sampling methodology yields statistical measures of cover variance, as well as point frequency occurrence information that can show the frequency/occurrence regarding what species grow at the same locations as opposed to what species do not grow at the same locations. The following sample files contain the raw data and reports from a single transect collected in one of our recent land cover mapping projects Redwood National Park for the National Park Service.
The sample field data collection form was used during our Redwood National and State Park mapping project. It is formatted to enable the collection of the range of field site header information and point feature information collected during such an efforts. Our field data collection process TransIn (see below) provides the same data collection, editing, and quality control processing as is represented in this field form.
The sample transect report demonstrates the types of information that may be derived from line-point transect sampling using the GRS Densitometer. Although this sampling method has been primarily used for estimating vegetation and ground cover percentages, a complete ecological condition can be derived by capturing parameters such as canopy position, diameter, species, ground condition, and trace occurrences. This report breaks down the transect summary by canopy layer and also presents forest mensuration characteristics of trees per acre (TPA) and quadratic mean diameter (QMD).
The sample transect data file contains the source data used to generate the Sample Transect Report. These data were collected using the GRS Densitometer to implement the line-point transect method of sampling. These data were collected on a handheld field data collector running TransIn software. Of course, transect data can also be collected on field data collection forms or spreadsheets.
The sample TransIn parameters file contains the species codes and other look-up values for the TransIn data collection software. TransIn is used in conjunction with the GRS Densitometer to collect vegetation data using the line-point transect method of field sampling. TransIn runs on any hand-held field computer that is based on the Windows CE operating system ... and it is FREE if you ask us for it !!
GRS Field Data Collection documents which explain field data collection procedures and guidelines used during past resource inventory and mapping projects are available upon request.
