An alternative sample size estimation for optimizing taper equations fitting

Taper equations are useful for estimating the diameter of a tree at any height on its trunk or bole. Then a more precise tree volume can be calculated based on these diameters and the corresponding heights. However, these equations may bias estimates of tree volume, if the sample size is determined arbitrarily. In this paper, an alternative method was applied to determine the sample size for optimizing taper equations fitting. In this method, the sample size required is not referred to the number of sampled trees, but to the total number of diameters estimated in the sampled trees. The analysis showed that this method is efficient from a validity standpoint. Since this method has the advantage of decreased cost (it costs much more to incrementally sample another tree than it does to make another diameter measurement on an already sampled tree), is suggested for sample size estimation.