Modeling tree diameters using mixtures of skewed Student’s t and related distributions

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 1039-1049
Author(s):  
Mahdi Teimouri ◽  
Rafał Podlaski

The size structure of tree populations making up a forest stand provides a scientific basis for evaluating the forest resources and scheduling future silviculture treatments. We evaluated the efficiency of the skewed Student’s t (ST) model to predict the distributions of various complex diameter at breast height (DBH) data. The ST model was compared with finite mixtures of selected functions (gamma, log-normal, and Weibull). Additionally, two scenarios were employed to determine the number of components: (1) the use of the Bayesian information criterion and (2) visual analysis of the histogram of the DBH relative frequencies. The ST model demonstrated the highest degree of flexibility for fitting the DBH distributions. It outperformed other competitors in modeling the DBH variables in terms of all implemented scenarios. It possesses a high degree of flexibility. This model should be used to fit the DBH distributions of multigeneration forest patches with diverse size structures.

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 88-102
Author(s):  
Volker Salewski

Im November 1989 und von März bis November 1990 wurden im Finkenbach im hessischen Odenwald monatlich Larven des Bachneunauges Lampetra planeri gefangen und vermessen. Ziel war es, anhand von Längenfrequenzen die Anzahl von Altersklassen und damit die Dauer des Larvalstadiums bestimmen zu können. Anhand einer visuellen Analyse der Längenverteilungen wurde 1990 auf eine Dauer des Larvalstadiums von etwas über sechs Jahren, in einigen Fällen vielleicht auch ein Jahr länger, geschlossen. Die 1989/90 erhobenen Daten wurden 2020 mittels generalisierter additiver Modelle erneut ausgewertet. Anhand des Akaike-Informationskriteriums wurde für jeden Monat das Modell bestimmt, das die Anzahl vorhandener Größenklassen am besten beschrieb. Mit diesen Modellen konnten die Einschätzungen von 1990 im Wesentlichen bestätigt werden. Allerdings ist die Annahme, dass das Larvalstadium etwas über sechs Jahre dauert, mit großen Unsicherheiten behaftet. Die Anzahl von Larven in den höheren Längenbereichen ist zu gering, um hier robuste Schlüsse zur Anzahl von Größen- und damit Altersklassen zuzulassen. Weiterhin ist bei anderen Neunaugenarten auch experimentell nachgewiesen, dass die Metamorphose in einem unterschiedlichen Alter einsetzen kann. Das Wachstum von Neunaugenlarven und damit das Alter, in dem die Metamorphose einsetzt, ist von den Verhältnissen in den Gewässern abhängig. Daher wäre es interessanter, den Einfluss von Umweltbedingungen auf das Wachstum in einer Zeit des Klimawandels zu untersuchen, anstatt sich nur auf die Frage des Zeitpunkts der Metamorphose zu beschränken. Finkenbach revisited – how long is the duration of larval life in the Brook Lamprey? Abstract: In November 1989 and from March to November 1990, larvae of the brook lamprey Lampetra planeri were caught and measured monthly in the Finkenbach-River in the Hessian Odenwald in Germany. The aim was to analyse length frequencies to determine the number of age cohorts and thus the duration of the larval life. Based on a purely visual analysis of the length distributions, it was concluded that the larval life lasted a little over six years, and in some cases perhaps a year longer. The data collected in 1989/90 were re-analysed in 2020 with generalized additive models. Using the Akaike information criterion, the model that best described the number of existing size classes was determined for each month. With these models, the assessment was similar compared to the visual analysis in 1990. However, the assumption that the larval stage lasts a little over six years includes a high degree of uncertainty. The number of larvae in the higher length ranges is too low to allow robust conclusions about the numbers of size-cohorts and thus age groups. Furthermore, it has been experimentally shown in other lamprey species that metamorphosis can begin at different ages. The growth of lamprey larvae and thus the age at which they enter metamorphosis depends on environmental conditions. Therefore, it would be more interesting to examine the influence of these conditions on growth in a time of global warming, instead of restricting analyses to the question of the exact age of metamorphosis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 2206-2225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulong Huang ◽  
Yonggang Zhang
Keyword(s):  

2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (7) ◽  
pp. 1465-1474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Neves Santos ◽  
Pedro Gil Lino

The wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata, Moreau 1881) is a commercially important species for the artisanal fleet operating off the south-western Iberian Peninsula. During 2004 and 2005 a study was undertaken aiming to provide a scientific basis for management. Data collection included information on aspects of the fishery, spawning season, size at first maturity, tangle and gill-net selectivity. Seven nominal mesh sizes were used (40, 45 and 50 mm tangle nets and 40, 50, 60 and 70 mm gill-nets). Spawning lasts from December to June, with peaks in March and May. Length at first maturity for females was estimated at 18.5 cm. Catch rates decreased sharply with increasing mesh size, with tangle nets providing the highest yields. The log-normal selectivity model provided the best fit for specimens that were wedged. The higher catch-per-unit-effort of the smaller mesh sizes and the modal length of the fitted selectivity curve being below the size-at-maturity for wedge sole, suggests that the 50 mm nominal mesh size tangle net is the most appropriate for ensuring the fishery sustainability. Nevertheless, the minimum legal size should increase to at least 18 cm and a time–area closure should be implemented off the Guadiana River mouth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-171
Author(s):  
Min Wang

Abstract This study examines the ability to identify different Chinese dialects through the English language and evaluates how often respondents pay attention to phonological features and rate of speech to explain their categorizations. The research includes 100 Chinese undergraduate students and 100 young people without advanced degrees aged 20 to 25. Discrete independent data samples collected during the interview of participants are analyzed with the help of such statistical methods as Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Wilcoxon's test. The obtained results indirectly show the ability of respondents to identify native and non-native English speakers around the world, as well as determine their nationality. The outcomes of the paper explicate who, in general, categorize Chinese dialects better and which dialects are the most recognizable. Research data reveal a high degree of stereotypization of various dialects, especially the Beijing and U dialects. Moreover, based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that speaking rate significantly affects the perception and classification of a speaker from a particular province of China.


1939 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Pálsson

1. By establishing the relationship between linear carcass measurements and the quantitative composition of the carcass in terms of bone, muscle and fat, we have provided a scientific basis for the use of many measurements hitherto only presumed to provide an index to carcass quality.2. External carcass measurements are correlated with weight of the skeleton. The most useful for this purpose are length of tibia + tarsus and length of the fore-cannon.3. As indices of muscle, external measures are only of indirect value. Thus, both F – T and G/F × 100 are strongly correlated with weight of muscle as a percentage of skeletal weight.4. Similarly, F provides an index of fat, being negatively correlated with fat as a percentage of bone.5. For muscle and fat internal measures permit a more precise estimate to be made. A + B is the best index of the former while C + J + Y provide the most accurate estimate of the weight of fat.6. Still better indices for muscle and fat are provided by suitable combinations of external and internal measurements. Thus L/10 + A + B is very highly correlated with the weight of muscle, and L/10 × (C + J + Y) is the best index of fat in the hoggets. For bone, a most efficient single index is shown to be the weight of the fore-cannon bone.7. The weight of the skeleton can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy from the weight of the bones in either one leg or loin. Both these joints combined, however, provide a still better estimate.8. The muscle in one leg or loin + leg provides an excellent index of the weight of muscle in the whole carcass.9. The fat in one leg, loin, or both these joints combined provides a good index of the weight of the total fat in the carcass. Both joints combined give the most precise measure.10. The value of certain measurements which are not necessarily associated with the quantity of the major tissues of the carcass, but which nevertheless have important qualitative significance, is emphasized.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han-Gyeol Yeom ◽  
Sam-Sun Lee ◽  
Jo-Eun Kim ◽  
Kyung-Hoe Huh ◽  
Won-Jin Yi ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between spatial resolution and ball distortion rate of panoramic radiography and to elucidate the minimum criterion for ball distortion rate, which is very relevant to clinical readability.MethodsHorizontal and vertical spatial resolution and ball distortion rates were calculated in the same position, such as the incisor, premolar, molar, and temporomandibular joint area with various object depths corresponding to 48 mm. Three devices were evaluated. A region showing spatial resolution above the reference standard was selected, and the ball distortion rate corresponding to the same region was divided into horizontal and vertical phantom groups.The mean and standard deviation of the obtained ball distortion rates were calculated. Student’s t-test was used to statistically analyze the mean difference in ball distortion rates between vertical and horizontal phantom groups.ResultsIn all devices, the horizontal line pair phantom, but not the vertical line pair phantom, was readable in all areas measured at the line pair value of at least 1.88 lp/mm. The line pair value tended to be higher toward the center and lower toward the outside. The ball distortion rate tended to decrease closer to the center and increased further away. In addition, ball distortion rates could not be measured at some areas as they were not recognized as balls due to the high degree of distortion at the outermost and innermost sides. The number of balls satisfying the reference value using the horizontal line pair phantom was 102 (mean of ball distortion rates, 20.98; standard deviation, 15.25). The number of balls satisfying the reference value using the vertical line pair phantom was 49 (mean of ball distortion rates, 16.33; standard deviation, 14.25). However, mean ball distortion rate was not significantly different between the two groups.ConclusionsFocal layer of panoramic radiography could be evaluated by the spatial resolution using horizontal and vertical line pair phantoms and by assessing ball distortion rates through a ball-type panorama phantom. A ball distortion rate of 20% could be used as a threshold to evaluate the focal layer of panoramic radiography.


2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (18) ◽  
pp. 5760-5766 ◽  
Author(s):  
James J. McDevitt ◽  
Ka Man Lai ◽  
Stephen N. Rudnick ◽  
E. Andres Houseman ◽  
Melvin W. First ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Interest in airborne smallpox transmission has been renewed because of concerns regarding the potential use of smallpox virus as a biothreat agent. Air disinfection via upper-room 254-nm germicidal UV (UVC) light in public buildings may reduce the impact of primary agent releases, prevent secondary airborne transmission, and be effective prior to the time when public health authorities are aware of a smallpox outbreak. We characterized the susceptibility of vaccinia virus aerosols, as a surrogate for smallpox, to UVC light by using a benchtop, one-pass aerosol chamber. We evaluated virus susceptibility to UVC doses ranging from 0.1 to 3.2 J/m2, three relative humidity (RH) levels (20%, 60%, and 80%), and suspensions of virus in either water or synthetic respiratory fluid. Dose-response plots show that vaccinia virus susceptibility increased with decreasing RH. These plots also show a significant nonlinear component and a poor fit when using a first-order decay model but show a reasonable fit when we assume that virus susceptibility follows a log-normal distribution. The overall effects of RH (P < 0.0001) and the suspending medium (P = 0.014) were statistically significant. When controlling for the suspending medium, the RH remained a significant factor (P < 0.0001) and the effect of the suspending medium was significant overall (P < 0.0001) after controlling for RH. Virus susceptibility did not appear to be a function of virus particle size. This work provides an essential scientific basis for the design of effective upper-room UVC installations for the prevention of airborne infection transmission of smallpox virus by characterizing the susceptibility of an important orthopoxvirus to UVC exposure.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk Burghardt ◽  
Wolfgang Nejdl ◽  
Jochen Schiewe ◽  
Monika Sester

In the past years Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has emerged as a novel form of user-generated content, which involves active generation of geo-data for example in citizen science projects or during crisis mapping as well as the passive collection of data via the user’s location-enabled mobile devices. In addition there are more and more sensors available that detect our environment with ever greater detail and dynamics. These data can be used for a variety of applications, not only for the solution of societal tasks such as in environment, health or transport fields, but also for the development of commercial products and services. The interpretation, visualisation and usage of such multi-source data is challenging because of the large heterogeneity, the differences in quality, the high update frequencies, the varying spatial-temporal resolution, subjective characteristics and low semantic structuring.<br> Therefore the German Research Foundation has launched a priority programme for the next 3&amp;ndash;6 years which will support interdisciplinary research projects. This priority programme aims to provide a scientific basis for raising the potential of VGI- and sensor data. Research questions described more in detail in this short paper span from the extraction of spatial information, to the visual analysis and knowledge presentation, taking into account the social context while collecting and using VGI.


Author(s):  
K. Martini ◽  
B. Baessler ◽  
M. Bogowicz ◽  
C. Blüthgen ◽  
M. Mannil ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To retrospectively evaluate if texture-based radiomics features are able to detect interstitial lung disease (ILD) and to distinguish between the different disease stages in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) in comparison with mere visual analysis of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Methods Sixty patients (46 females, median age 56 years) with SSc who underwent HRCT of the thorax were retrospectively analyzed. Visual analysis was performed by two radiologists for the presence of ILD features. Gender, age, and pulmonary function (GAP) stage was calculated from clinical data (gender, age, pulmonary function test). Data augmentation was performed and the balanced dataset was split into a training (70%) and a testing dataset (30%). For selecting variables that allow classification of the GAP stage, single and multiple logistic regression models were fitted and compared by using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated from the area under the curve (AUC) from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results Values for some radiomics features were significantly lower (p < 0.05) and those of other radiomics features were significantly higher (p = 0.001) in patients with GAP2 compared with those in patients with GAP1. The combination of two specific radiomics features in a multivariable model resulted in the lowest AIC of 10.73 with an AUC of 0.96, 84% sensitivity, and 99% specificity. Visual assessment of fibrosis was inferior in predicting individual GAP stages (AUC 0.86; 83% sensitivity; 74% specificity). Conclusion The correlation of radiomics with GAP stage, but not with the visually defined features of ILD-HRCT, implies that radiomics might capture features indicating severity of SSc-ILD on HRCT, which are not recognized by visual analysis. Key Points • Radiomics features can predict GAP stage with a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of almost 100%. • Extent of fibrosis on HRCT and a combined model of different visual HRCT-ILD features perform worse in predicting GAP stage. • The correlation of radiomics with GAP stage, but not with the visually defined features of ILD-HRCT, implies that radiomics might capture features on HRCT, which are not recognized by visual analysis.


2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 698-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merrill R Kaufmann ◽  
Claudia M Regan ◽  
Peter M Brown

Tree age and size structures were compared within and among topographic categories in portions of a 35-km2 unlogged landscape and a comparable adjacent logged landscape. Tree density was generally higher in the logged landscape. One fifth of plots in the unlogged landscape had trees older than 400 years, but no trees older than 400 years remained in the logged landscape plots. Ten recruitment pulses were identified for the unlogged study area, accounting for 49% of all trees measured during 26% of the 421-year survival record. Recruitment pulses in the logged area accounted for fewer trees during a larger amount of time. Most recruitment periods in the unlogged landscape coincided with known past major fires. The mixed-severity historical fire regime created openings that persisted for as long as 148 years. The following components exist in the unlogged landscape: (i) forest patches having a distinct age cap reflecting regeneration following an earlier stand-replacing fire, (ii) uneven-aged forest patches having no evidence of an age cap, (ii) openings created by fire, and (iv) riparian areas. Results suggest that the logged landscape is poised to regain an old-growth age distribution, and tree removal in the logged landscape could restore the size distribution found in the unlogged landscape. However, the unlogged landscape has openings not found in the logged landscape that should be considered in restoration efforts at a landscape scale.


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