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Matano, A.S., Kanangire, C.K., Anyona, D.N., Abuom, P.O., Gelder, F.B., Dida, G.O., Owour, P.O. and Ofulla, A.V.O. (2015) Effects of Land Use Change Degradation Reflected by Soil Properties along Mara River, Kenya and Tanzania. Open Journal of Soil Science, 5, 20-38.
https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2015.51003

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: A New Field Protocol for Determination of Forest Structure, Biodiversity and Heath Status by Means of GPS Tools: A Case Study from Gaza Forest

  AUTHORS: Yasser El-Nahhal

  KEYWORDS: Forest, Tree Counts, Tree Age, Biodiversity, Health Status, Field Protocol

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Ecology, Vol.7 No.1, January 25, 2017

  ABSTRACT: This article describes the application of GPS, image processing analysis and statistical tools for determination of forest structure and biodiversity. The idea is based on determination of forest area using GPS tools, then taking representative plots “samples” about 5% - 10% of the forest and counting the tree species in each plot (sample). This process enables the estimation of species population in each plot. The sum of all species population enables the calculation of relative density of each species. Multiplying species population with plot number of the forest enables the calculations of total species population in the forest. Calculating the relative density enables the determination of dominant, co-dominant, suppressed and flour structure of the forest. To determine the age of the forest, we apply our method on determining the diameter of trees and grouping them to four groups, this enables the estimation of dominant age within single species. From these data, we can estimate the age of the forest. This field protocol is easy and applicable and provides good results in estimating structure, age and biodiversity in the forest.