Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-28572
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dc.contributor.authorDengler, Jürgen-
dc.contributor.authorDembicz, Iwona-
dc.date.accessioned2023-09-01T13:18:35Z-
dc.date.available2023-09-01T13:18:35Z-
dc.date.issued2023-07-
dc.identifier.issn2683-0671de_CH
dc.identifier.urihttps://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/28572-
dc.description.abstractQuestion: We explored the error resulting from different methods for recording the cover of plants in vegetation plots, specifically the direct estimation of percent cover vs. the use of ordinal cover scales (7-step Braun-Blanquet and 5-step Hult-Sernander-Du Rietz). Methods: We simulated 121 plant species of different cover, sampled with 13 different levels of estimation precision. Estimation precision was either based on a constant coefficient of variation (0.1–1.0) across all cover values or on empirical data from Hatton et al. (1986, Journal of Range Management 39: 91–92) (× 0.5, × 1.0, × 1.5). Each sampling was repeated 10 times. Subsequently, we determined the mean relative and absolute errors that occurred in the data used for ensuing numerical analyses. Results: Except for few cases with unrealistic settings (very high estimation error and ignorance of species with lower cover values), direct estimation in percent yielded better results than the use of ordinal scales. Based on the empirical values of estimation accuracy, the use of ordinal scales inflated the mean absolute and relative errors nearly 2-fold in case of the 7-step Braun-Blanquet scale and about 1.5-fold in case of the Hult-Sernander-Du Rietz scale if only considering cover values above 1%. Conclusions: From our personal experience, the careful application of an ordinal scale is not faster than the direct estimation of percent cover. For this reason, we see no plausible argument supporting the use of ordinal cover scales when essentially all subsequent analyses are numeric.de_CH
dc.language.isoende_CH
dc.publisherPensoftde_CH
dc.relation.ispartofVegetation Classification and Surveyde_CH
dc.rightshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/de_CH
dc.subjectBraun-Blanquet scalede_CH
dc.subjectEstimationde_CH
dc.subjectHult-Sernander-Du Rietz scalede_CH
dc.subjectNumerical analysisde_CH
dc.subjectObserver errorde_CH
dc.subjectOrdinal scalede_CH
dc.subjectPercent estimatede_CH
dc.subjectPlant coverde_CH
dc.subjectSimulationde_CH
dc.subjectSpecies abundancede_CH
dc.subjectTransformationde_CH
dc.subjectVegetation-plot recordde_CH
dc.subject.ddc580: Pflanzen (Botanik)de_CH
dc.titleShould we estimate plant cover in percent or on ordinal scales?de_CH
dc.typeBeitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschriftde_CH
dcterms.typeTextde_CH
zhaw.departementLife Sciences und Facility Managementde_CH
zhaw.organisationalunitInstitut für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen (IUNR)de_CH
dc.identifier.doi10.3897/VCS.98379de_CH
dc.identifier.doi10.21256/zhaw-28572-
zhaw.funding.euNode_CH
zhaw.originated.zhawYesde_CH
zhaw.pages.end138de_CH
zhaw.pages.start131de_CH
zhaw.publication.statuspublishedVersionde_CH
zhaw.volume4de_CH
zhaw.publication.reviewPeer review (Publikation)de_CH
zhaw.webfeedVegetationsökologiede_CH
zhaw.author.additionalNode_CH
zhaw.display.portraitYesde_CH
zhaw.monitoring.costperiod2023de_CH
Appears in collections:Publikationen Life Sciences und Facility Management

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Dengler, J., & Dembicz, I. (2023). Should we estimate plant cover in percent or on ordinal scales? Vegetation Classification and Survey, 4, 131–138. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.98379
Dengler, J. and Dembicz, I. (2023) ‘Should we estimate plant cover in percent or on ordinal scales?’, Vegetation Classification and Survey, 4, pp. 131–138. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.98379.
J. Dengler and I. Dembicz, “Should we estimate plant cover in percent or on ordinal scales?,” Vegetation Classification and Survey, vol. 4, pp. 131–138, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.3897/VCS.98379.
DENGLER, Jürgen und Iwona DEMBICZ, 2023. Should we estimate plant cover in percent or on ordinal scales? Vegetation Classification and Survey. Juli 2023. Bd. 4, S. 131–138. DOI 10.3897/VCS.98379
Dengler, Jürgen, and Iwona Dembicz. 2023. “Should We Estimate Plant Cover in Percent or on Ordinal Scales?” Vegetation Classification and Survey 4 (July): 131–38. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.98379.
Dengler, Jürgen, and Iwona Dembicz. “Should We Estimate Plant Cover in Percent or on Ordinal Scales?” Vegetation Classification and Survey, vol. 4, July 2023, pp. 131–38, https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS.98379.


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