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Nonparametric projections of forest and rangeland condition indicators: A technical document supporting the 2005 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment Update

Informally Refereed

Abstract

The 2005 Forest and Rangeland Condition Indicator Model is a set of classification trees for forest and rangeland condition indicators at the national scale. This report documents the development of the database and the nonparametric statistical estimation for this analytical structure, with emphasis on three special characteristics of condition indicator production processes: (1) the inability of humans to completely control ecological systems; (2) the lack of a theoretical basis for specific relational functional forms, suggesting the need for a highly flexible model structure; and (3) the broadscale spatial nature of the problem (and data). The resolution of data deficiencies is also examined. Finally, the model projections themselves are presented and discussed using national-scale maps.

Keywords

Resource interactions, land management planning, classification trees, modeling, environmental outputs

Citation

Hof, John; Flather, Curtis; Baltic, Tony; King, Rudy. 2006. Nonparametric projections of forest and rangeland condition indicators: A technical document supporting the 2005 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment Update. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-166. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 39 p.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/22781