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increment (gross increment) #11
Increase in stemwood volume between two inventories of all surviving trees and shrubs with a diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥12 cm with bark, the stemwood volume of all ingrowing trees and shrubs with bark, and the modelled increase in the stemwood volume of the losses with bark during half the inventory period.

tree species (5 classes) #1157
Type of trees and shrubs ≥12 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh). The three most common species or species groups in Switzerland (spruce - Picea spp.; fir - Abies spp.; beech - Fagus sylvatica) are in individual classes, while the remaining species are classified as «other conifers» or «other broadleaves». Reference: Field Survey (MID 50: Baumart)

higher/lower altitude zone #2635
Areas in higher and lower altitude zones classified according to the system used for altitudinal vegetation belts in the guidelines for monitoring the sustainability and performance of protection forests (NaiS; Frehner et al. 2005). The boundary between the higher and lower altitudes runs between the «upper montane» and «lower montane» levels on the Northern Alps and between the «high montane» and «upper/lower montane» levels to the Southern Alps. The information is based on the altitudinal vegetation belts determined by experts (accessible forest sample plots of NFI4 on the 1.4-km network; Arge Frehner et al. 2020), as well as on the altitudinal vegetation belts modelled for the period 1981-2010 (other sample plots; Zischg et al. 2021).

protection forest region #829
Demarcation of Switzerland used in NFI for protection forest analyses. The six protection forest regions were derived from the economic regions by combining individual regions according to natural and statistical criteria.

accessible forest without shrub forest NFI3/NFI4 #1429
Forest that was less than two-thirds covered with shrubs in both NFI3 (2004-2006) and NFI4 (2009-2017) and could be reached on foot.

1.4-km grid #410
NFI's sampling grid with a mesh size of 1.4 km. The 1.4-km grid is the grid size covering all the previous terrestrial Inventories, which is why it is also called the base grid.

Estimates and standard error of the estimates

The results published in the NFI tables are estimates for variables in the Swiss forest (population parameters) whose true values are not known and must therefore be extrapolated (estimated) from the NFI sample data.

The extrapolations carry uncertainties. However, the accuracy of the extrapolations can be reliably estimated from the NFI sample, which is designed to be a random sample. To this end, all NFI tables include a second figure in addition to the estimate itself, namely the standard error of the estimate.

In most tables the percent standard error is reported (±%), but the absolute standard error (±) is also reported occasionally, especially for estimated percentages. The relationship between absolute and percent standard error is as follows:

percent standard error = absolute standard error / estimate × 100

absolute standard error = percent standard error × estimate / 100

Information on the forest road network is based on a full survey of all forest roads. In this case, there is no need to specify a standard error because there is no uncertainty caused by sampling.

Confidence interval of the estimate

With the estimate and the standard error of the estimate, the limits of the so-called confidence interval of the estimate can be calculated as:

lower limit = estimate – tQ × absolute standard error

upper limit = estimate + tQ × absolute standard error

If the simple standard error is used for the calculation (tQ = 1), then the 68% confidence interval is formed. In this case, the true value of the population parameter has a 68% probability of lying within this confidence interval of the estimate. If the double standard error is used (tQ = 2), then there is a 95% probability that the true value lies within this 95% confidence interval.

Significance of the estimate

The confidence interval can be used to statistically test whether the estimated population parameter is larger or smaller than a specific reference or target value, or whether two estimated population parameters truly differ (in the real population). For practical applications, proceed as follows: if a reference value lies outside the confidence interval, the estimated population value can be interpreted as being significantly different from it; if it lies within the confidence interval, the difference between the estimated population parameter and the reference value can be interpreted as random or not significant. When two population parameters are compared, they can be interpreted as differing significantly if their confidence intervals do not overlap.

Dealing with missing values

When calculating a results table, data are not always available for all combinations of characteristics^* of the classification variables and regional demarcation applied. In most cases, this indicates that the attribute estimated with the respective target variable does not occur or occurs only very rarely. Usually, the value 0 is used (imputed). However, as this value is not based on direct measurements, the associated standard error is represented with a full stop [.]. If the imputed value of 0 is referred to in the calculation, e.g. in the case of percentages or certain change estimates, no value can be entered. In this case, the estimated value and standard error are both represented with a full stop [.].

For example, no Arolla pines have been found and measured in the Swiss Plateau to date (growing stock of Arolla pines by production region). The values can be assumed to be missing because Arolla pine does not occur in the Swiss Plateau and therefore the growing stock there must be 0.

^* e.g. ‘Arolla pine’ characteristic of the classification variable ‘tree species’ and ‘Swiss plateau’ characteristic of the ‘regional demarcation’

Changes

There are two types of changes in the NFI:

The first type involves specific target variables relating to components of change, such as increment, fellings, mortality and losses. These target variables are only available for two consecutive inventory cycles, e.g. NFI3–NFI4. In the evaluation of components of change, the classification variable characteristic of the second inventory cycle is assigned to the first inventory cycle. These evaluations therefore do not take into account potential changes in a classification variable characteristic from the earlier to the later inventory (e.g. from private to public ownership).

With the second type of change, the difference in target variables, such as number of stems, growing stock or forest area, is used to assess the change between two inventory cycles. Target variables are generally used to represent states, such as that in NFI4, but can also indicate the net change between any two inventory cycles, e.g. NFI1–NFI4. In evaluations of change using these target variables, the change in a classification variable characteristic is considered in the analysis. Consequently, one can detect, for example, that the forest area without shrub forest increased between the two inventory cycles. This only has an effect on classification variables whose characteristic (class) can actually change, e.g. the affiliation with a forest area or the tree condition.

NFI3–NFI4
increment (gross increment)
tree species (5 classes) · higher/lower altitude zone
regional demarcation: protection forest region
unit: 1000 m³/yr
evaluation area: accessible forest without shrub forest NFI3/NFI4
grid: 1.4-km grid
change 2004/06–2009/17
		protection forest region
		Jura + Plateau		Northwestern Alps		Northeastern Alps		Southwestern Alps		Southeastern Alps		Southern Alps		Switzerland
tree species (5 classes)	higher/lower altitude zone	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%	1000 m³/yr	±%
n/a	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	higher altitude zone	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
spruce	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	1289	5	210	12	151	16	18	36	13	33	46	35	1765	4
	higher altitude zone	341	9	825	6	504	8	306	10	635	7	232	11	2861	3
	total	1634	4	1030	5	655	7	325	9	650	7	280	10	4606	2
fir	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	802	5	276	11	88	18	-2	240	4	54	28	33	1218	5
	higher altitude zone	188	10	243	11	150	12	48	24	39	26	14	33	705	6
	total	991	5	524	8	238	10	46	26	44	24	42	24	1934	4
other conifers	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	160	12	12	39	7	40	17	33	9	47	13	44	218	10
	higher altitude zone	2	67	13	41	9	76	240	10	158	12	105	16	502	7
	total	160	12	24	28	16	46	258	9	167	12	118	15	715	6
beech	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	1105	4	202	12	142	14	20	35	7	94	119	20	1617	4
	higher altitude zone	107	13	61	20	76	16	16	44	13	33	0	662	289	9
	total	1207	4	268	11	218	11	36	28	20	38	118	20	1932	3
other broadleaves	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	803	5	80	17	68	22	36	25	12	47	317	9	1305	4
	higher altitude zone	21	25	87	14	54	19	47	24	52	24	39	25	297	8
	total	818	5	168	11	122	15	82	17	64	21	355	9	1623	4
indeterminable	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	higher altitude zone	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
total	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	4158	2	778	7	457	10	90	18	46	26	523	8	6122	2
	higher altitude zone	659	6	1229	5	793	7	656	7	898	6	389	9	4653	2
	total	4810	2	2014	4	1250	6	747	6	943	6	913	5	10810	1

Table citation

Abegg, M.; Ahles, P.; Allgaier Leuch, B.; Cioldi, F.; Didion, M.; Düggelin, C.; Fischer, C.; Herold, A.; Meile, R.; Rohner, B.; Rösler, E.; Speich, S.; Temperli, C.; Traub, B.,
2023: Swiss national forest inventory - Result table No. 1327925. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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