Estimating cavity tree abundance using nearest neighbor imputation methods for western Oregon and Washington forests

Abstract

Cavity trees contribute to diverse forest structure and wildlife habitat. For a given stand, the size and density of cavity trees indicate its diversity, complexity, and suitability for wildlife habitat. Size and density of cavity trees vary with stand age, density, and structure. Using Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data collected in western Oregon and western Washington, we applied correlation analysis and graphical approaches to examine relationships between cavity tree abundance and stand characteristics. Cavity tree abundance was negatively correlated with site index and percent composition of conifers, but positively correlated with stand density, quadratic mean diameter, and percent composition of hardwoods.

Citation

Temesgen, Hailemariam; Barrett, Tara M.; Latta, Greg. 2008. Estimating cavity tree abundance using nearest neighbor imputation methods for western Oregon and Washington forests. Silva Fennica, Vol. 42(3): 337-354