J. For. Sci., 2018, 64(11):478-485 | DOI: 10.17221/92/2018-JFS

Assessing horizontal accuracy of inventory plots in forests with different mix of tree species composition and development stageOriginal Paper

Vlastimil MURGAŠ1*, Ivan SAČKOV1, Maroš SEDLIAK1, Daniel TUNÁK2, František CHUDÝ2
1 National Forest Centre - Forest Research Institute Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
2 Department of Forest Management and Geodesy, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovak Republic

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) have a wide range of applications in forest industry, including forest inventory. In this study, the horizontal accuracy of 45 inventory plots in different forest environments and 5 inventory plots under open sky conditions were examined. The inventory plots were located using a mapping-grade GNSS receiver during leaf-on season in 2017. True coordinates of the plot centres were acquired using a survey-grade GNSS receiver during leaf-off season in 2018. A study was conducted across a range of forest conditions in the forest unit Vígľaš, which is located in Slovakia (Central Europe). Root mean square error of horizontal accuracies was 8.45 m in the plots under forest canopy and 6.61 m under open sky conditions. We note decreased positional errors in coniferous forests as well as in younger forests. However, results showed that there is no statistically significant effect of tree species composition and stand age on horizontal accuracy.

Keywords: GNSS; positional error; satellite navigation; spatial coordinates

Published: November 30, 2018  Show citation

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MURGAŠ V, SAČKOV I, SEDLIAK M, TUNÁK D, CHUDÝ F. Assessing horizontal accuracy of inventory plots in forests with different mix of tree species composition and development stage. J. For. Sci. 2018;64(11):478-485. doi: 10.17221/92/2018-JFS.
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