We introduce the Bayesian skyline plot, a new method for estimating past population dynamics through time from a sample of molecular sequences without dependence on a prespecified parametric model of demographic history. We describe a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling procedure that efficiently samples a variant of the generalized skyline plot, given sequence data, and combines these plots to g...

The k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) method of forest attribute estimation and mapping has become an integral part of national forest inventory methods in Finland in the last decade. This success of kNN method in facilitating multi-source inventory has encouraged trials of the method in the Great Lakes Region of the United States. Here we present results from applying the method to Landsat TM and ETM+ ...

We present PLTplot, a plotting package for PLT Scheme. PLTplot provides a basic interface for producing common types of plots such as line and vector field plots from Scheme functions and data, an advanced interface for producing customized plot types, and support for standard curve fitting. It incorporates renderer constructors, transformers from data to its graphical representation, as values...

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data can offer a means to estimate subcanopy fuel characteristics support site characterization, quantification of treatment or fire effects, and inform modeling. Using field TLS within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve (PNR), this study explores impact forest phenology density shrub height (i.e., bed depth) measurements on estimating average heights at ...

We describe a further development of the stochastic state selection method, which is a kind of Monte Carlo method we have proposed in order to numerically study large quantum spin systems. In the stochastic state selection method we make a sampling which is simultaneous for many states. This feature enables us to modify the method so that a number of given constraints are satisfied in each samp...

the expanding phenomenon of dieback is caused by the reaction of trees against the harmful biotic and a biotic factor that lead to dying of shoots and branches of trees from upper crown to lower crown. this phenomenon spreads throughout the leaves and branches and all parts of the plant and may finally lead to the death of the plant. this study aimed to identify species dieback especially carpi...

The performance of different types of sensitivity analysis methods in combination with different sampling methods on the basis of a Performance Assessment model for a repository for Low and Intermediate Level radioactive Waste (LILW) in rock salt has been investigated. This paper provides an insight into the results obtained with the following methods for sensitivity analysis: (i) a graphical m...

Rapid survey methods are needed that accurately detect both species richness and relative abundance for surveying new sites and/or for long-term monitoring. We investigate whether the large-scale gradsect survey method of Gillison can be adapted for a smaller scale more suitable for monitoring or research. Three different designs that are compared are typical random small plot sampling and two ...