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Methodology


For both of the 20 ha FDP and the 1 ha demonstration plots, the core methods for long-term permanent CTFS-style plots will be used (Su et al. 2007). The plot will be demarcated by professional land surveyors with subdivisions of 5 m x 5 m subquadrats.



Plot demarcation in the proposed 20 ha plot in 5 hundred 20m x 20m quadrats, each of which is further sub-divided into 16 5m by 5m sub-quadrats (Su et al. 2007).


The diameter at breast height (Dbh; taken at 1.3m from the ground) of all regular tree or shrub stems of 1 cm or above will be measured (Condit 1998).



A pole is used for marking the 1.3m breast height


For larger stems, dendrometer bands will be installed for periodic tree-growth measurements. It allows more precise and frequent measurements of tree growth in the plot which will enable the estimation of carbon storage in tree biomass.



An example of the dendrometer bands (Source: http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/Dendrometer)