Deutscher Tropentag, October 8 - 10, 2003 in Göttingen "Technological and Institutional Innovations for Sustainable Rural Development"

Adaptive Cluster Sampling in NTFP Research

¹Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institute for Silviculture, Germany
²University of Hamburg, Chair of World Forestry, Germany
³Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products, Institute for World Forestry, Germany

Abstract

In natural tropical rain forests the relative abundance of certain species is relatively low (< 5 individuals per hectare). Due to individual dispersal patterns or site changes on the micro level some of these species tend to occur in groups. Ordinary forest inventory designs are ineffective in analysing the abundance and spatial distribution of rare, clustered species.

A cooperation project of the University of Freiburg with the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products was carried out with the objective to compare the effectiveness of an adaptive cluster sampling with primary and secondary units and an ordinary strip sampling. The data recording was carried out in a secondary tropical forest in central Cameroon and was conducted with chosen NTFP species.

Keywords: Cameroon, geographic information system, management plan, non-timber forest products

Contact Address: Mirco Meier, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institute for Silviculture, Tennenbacherstraße 4, 78000 Freiburg, Germany, e-mail: micromeierweb.de