Process / pipelineNonparametric

Line-Intercept Sampling

Line-Intercept Sampling (LIS) is an ecological field method developed by Richard H. Canfield in 1941 for estimating vegetation cover, plant density, and structural characteristics in rangeland and forest surveys. By laying a linear transect across a study area and recording all plants intersecting the line, LIS provides efficient, unbiased estimates without requiring plots or quadrats.

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Sources

  1. Canfield, R. H. (1941). Application of the line interception method in sampling range vegetation. Journal of Forestry, 39(4), 388–394. DOI: 10.1093/jof/39.4.388
  2. Warren, S. D., Conquest, L. L., & Brenkert, A. L. (1971). Cost and precision of methods for sampling shrub cover in ecological surveys. Journal of Range Management, 24(2), 141–147. DOI: 10.2307/3896818
  3. Krebs, C. J. (1998). Ecological Methodology (2nd ed.). Addison Wesley Longman. link

Related methods

ScholarGateLine-Intercept Sampling (Line-Intercept Sampling). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/sampling/line-intercept-sampling