Practice Test Geeks(SAF) Society of American Foresters Certification Practice Test
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Field Survey & Data Collection Flashcards

7 cards from real SAF practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Field Survey & Data Collection flashcards as text

  1. When using a prism or angle gauge in variable-plot sampling, a tree is counted in the plot when the tree's DBH appears:

    Answer: Larger than the prism gap

    A tree is tallied when its DBH appears larger than the prism gap, indicating the tree falls within the variable radius plot.

  2. What is the primary purpose of using a clinometer in forest inventory?

    Answer: Measuring tree height by recording vertical angles

    A clinometer measures vertical angles to calculate tree height using trigonometric relationships with a known horizontal distance.

  3. In forest mensuration, 'merchantable height' refers to the height of a tree from the stump to:

    Answer: The point where the stem reaches a specified minimum top diameter

    Merchantable height extends from the stump to the point where the stem diameter falls below a specified minimum usable diameter.

  4. A forester establishes 20 fixed-area plots, each 1/10 acre, and tallies 400 trees total. What is the estimated trees per acre?

    Answer: 200 trees/acre

    With 400 trees on 20 plots × 1/10 acre each (= 2 acres total), trees per acre = 400 ÷ 2 = 200 trees/acre.

  5. Which sampling method is most appropriate when rare or clustered species need targeted detection across a large landscape?

    Answer: Adaptive cluster sampling

    Adaptive cluster sampling adds additional plots around any initial plot where the rare feature is detected, improving detection efficiency.

  6. When recording tree species in a mixed stand, a forester uses a tally sheet with a 'miscellaneous' category. Best practice recommends this category should contain no more than:

    Answer: 10% of tallied trees

    Best practice limits miscellaneous tallies to roughly 10% or less so the data remains meaningful for stand analysis and management decisions.

  7. The 'limiting distance' concept in variable-plot sampling means that for a given BAF, larger-diameter trees are tallied from:

    Answer: A greater distance than smaller trees

    Larger-diameter trees subtend the critical angle from farther away, so they are included (tallied) from greater distances than smaller trees.