Broad-scale estimates of above ground forest biomass (AGB) are typically produced by applying individual-tree equations to inventory data consisting of measurements from probabilistically or purposively selected trees. The associated uncertainty for these estimates depends primarily on three sources of error that interact and propagate: (1) measurement error, the quality of...
In estimating aboveground forest biomass (AGB), three sources of error that interact and propagate include (i) measurement error, the quality of the tree-level measurement data used as inputs for the individual-tree equations; (ii) model error, the uncertainty about the equations of the individual trees; and (iii) sampling error, the uncertainty...
Uncertainty in above ground forest biomass (AGB) estimates at broad-scale depends primarily on three sources of error that interact and propagate: measurement error, model error, and sampling error. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we compare the total propagated error for two sets of regional-level component equations for lodgepole pine AGB, and...
Laser Scanning represents a new opportunity in forestry to effect meaningful change in the methods used for collection and analysis of inventory data. With the ability to collect spatial information in 360 degrees, while fluidly tracking the sensor and building the final point cloud, large tracks of terrestrial LiDAR based...
Quantifying biomass is important for sustainable forest management. The purpose of this study is to obtain allometric relationships for seven species of shrubs common in northeastern California so that estimates of carbon and fuel loading may be better realized. Although some shrub biomass equations exist, such equations are limited in...
This thesis mainly consists of two parts: (1) comparing statistical modeling methods based on the area-based approach (ABA) for predicting forest inventory attributes using airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data (Chapter 2), and (2) suggesting a new methodology fusing the individual tree detection (ITD) approach and the ABA for...
The issue of global climate change and an increasing interest in the reduction of fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions by using forest biomass for energy production has increased the importance of quantifying forest biomass in recent years. The official U.S. forest carbon reporting is based on the forest biomass estimates...