Random Transect Adaptive Cluster Sampling Help

Main Toolbar

Applet Operation

Main Toolbar

Toolbar Button Descriptions

Applet Tools

a

Capture Transect Point

Create GPS point feature for start/end transect

b

Capture Adaptive Plant Point

Create GPS point feature for plant

c

Capture Adaptive Plant Patch

Create GPS polygon feature for area

d

Capture Transect Plant Point

Create GPS point feature for transect point

e

Coin Toss

Tool to tell user which direction to survey

f

Draw Next Adaptive Search Unit

Draw next available search unit based on current GPS location

g

Update Current Grid Cell

Selects cell for updating based on current GPS position

h

Clear Max Survey Area

Clears (deletes) current survey area

ArcPad Tools

Capture Vertex

ArcPad tool to capture vertex

Capture Vertices

ArcPad tool to capture streaming vertices

Select & Vertex Editing

ArcPad tool to edit polygon vertices

Select

ArcPad tool to select editable features

Feature Properties

ArcPad tool to show feature attributes

Delete Feature

ArcPad tool to delete selected feature

Applet Operation

a. Capture Transect Point

Transect points are created to define start and end points of a transect; click the Capture Transect Point button to create a starting or end point for the transect. If the GPS is active the data collection form is shown, if the GPS isn't active a dialog will appear asking to turn it on.

b. Capture Adaptive Plant Point

Adaptive plant points are used for capturing and attributing individual plants or small patches. Click the Capture Adaptive Plant Point button to display the data collection form.

When an adaptive plant point is created the max survey area and max search area delineated on the screen as shown above in pink and purple, the current grid cell is selected based on the plant point location and marked as surveyed/present. Orange cells are marked as need to sample based on the search tolerances.

c. Capture Adaptive Plant Patch

Adaptive plant patches are used for capturing larger plant patch boundaries and their attributes. After clicking the Capture Adaptive Plant Patch button, use ArcPad tools to capture vertices. When finished the data collection form appears.

When an adaptive plant patch is created each grid cell that is within the polygon boundary is marked as sampled/present (green), additional grid cells are selected based on the search tolerances and marked as need to sample (orange).

d. Capture Transect Plant Point

A transect plant point is used to mark plant features that do not require adaptive sampling, with a GPS fix click the Capture Transect Plant Point button to mark the location and show the data collection form.

e. Coin Toss Button

The coin toss button is used before adaptively sampling grid cells to indicate the direction the user should begin sampling.

f. Draw Next Adaptive Search Area

The Draw Next Adaptive Search Area button is used at the end of an adaptive sampling session to visually indicate where the surveyor should begin adaptive sampling again.

g. Update Current Grid Cell

The Update Grid Cell is used to change the status of cells based on the Current GPS location, cells are automatically selected from the current GPS location and a form is presented to update the grid attributes.

Updating the grid changes the color of the grid cell to visually indicate the status of the grid location. There are 5 different values for the grid cells, 0 = Sampled/Absent (red), 1 = Sampled/Present (green), 3 = Need to Sample (orange), 2 = Not Sampled (blue default value) and -9 = Not Sampleable.

h. Clear Max Survey Area

The clear Max Survey Area button will delete the current max survey and max search areas displayed on the map. This this tool also sets a flag to draw the max survey area next time an adaptive point feature is created.