TRANSECT RELASCOPE SAMPLING FOR ASSESSING COARSE WOODY DEBRIS - THE CASE OF A PI 2 RELASCOPE ANGLE/

In transect relascope sampling, a wide-angle relascope is used along s urvey lines for selecting a sample of objects that extend linearly in the plane, e.g. downed logs. The method is closely related to line int ersect (intercept) sampling. In this article, a special case of the tr ansect relascope technique is studied. Using a pi/2 radian relascope a ngle, the method becomes invariant to the orientation of the line obje cts in the population. The reason is that the area of inclusion around objects, through which a survey line should pass for an object to be included, turns out to be circular. In analytical studies and Monte Ca rlo simulations, the cost-efficiency of transect relascope and line in tersect sampling is evaluated. It is found that transect relascope sam pling is a competitive alternative to line intersect sampling in inven tories of the total volume of coarse woody debris (in the form of down ed logs:) in forest compartments.