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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 NFI4/NFI5 #2282
Forest that was less than two-thirds covered with shrubs in both NFI4 (2009-2017) and NFI5 (2018-2026) and is accessible on foot.

1.4 km grid, subgrids 1-5 #1746
Sub-grids 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the field surveys on the sampling grid with a mesh size of 1.4 km (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.

NFI4–NFI5
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 NFI4/NFI5
grid: 1.4 km grid, subgrids 1-5
change 2009/17–2018/26
		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	.
	higher altitude zone	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	total	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
spruce	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	1025	6	167	15	96	21	7	78	12	46	50	41	1356	5
	higher altitude zone	219	13	702	8	553	10	321	11	747	8	190	13	2733	4
	total	1244	5	869	7	650	9	328	11	758	8	239	13	4090	3
fir	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	779	7	248	13	95	24	1	93	6	83	20	38	1149	6
	higher altitude zone	235	13	251	16	147	17	40	31	20	35	21	47	716	8
	total	1014	6	499	10	241	14	41	30	26	33	41	30	1864	5
other conifers	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	182	13	17	43	8	42	8	45	6	60	16	43	238	11
	higher altitude zone	0	79	20	33	7	60	154	15	231	12	123	18	533	8
	total	182	13	38	27	15	36	162	15	237	12	140	16	771	6
beech	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	951	5	179	17	98	22	9	76	8	57	141	18	1386	5
	higher altitude zone	84	16	64	27	114	19	0	795	13	45	4	65	280	11
	total	1034	5	243	14	212	14	8	88	21	35	145	17	1665	4
other broadleaves	n/a	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	0	.
	lower altitude zone	700	7	86	22	116	21	39	24	20	49	292	12	1254	6
	higher altitude zone	47	20	73	21	88	18	51	24	72	24	30	46	361	10
	total	747	7	159	15	203	14	90	17	92	22	323	12	1615	5
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	3637	3	698	9	413	12	64	24	52	30	519	9	5382	3
	higher altitude zone	584	8	1110	7	909	8	565	9	1082	7	368	11	4623	3
	total	4221	3	1807	5	1322	7	629	9	1133	6	887	6	10005	2

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. 1327930. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

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