An Estimation Procedure for Range Composition Problems
Dennis J. Aigner · Journal of the American Statistical Association · 1965
In this article a method is presented which provides an efficient technique for estimating herbage weight composition on range units. The estimator derives from a weighted regression of species weight on species cover, i.e., the proportion of ground area covered by foliage of the species. Use of the present method of estimation in conjunction with a “pin-frame” field sampling procedure results in quite substantial savings in sampling cost for given precision, compared to the usual method for estimating weight composition. Empirically derived isoqant maps of sampling allocations for the two-phase design are presented. Some discussion of the problems associated with the pin-frame sampling method is also included.