| GLO witness tree data was obtained for nine adjoining townships in southeast Arkansas. The resulting sample of 4,118 trees was used to determine presettlement forest composition and structure and to qualify and quantify the applicability, consistency and reliability of GLO witness tree data for vegetation reconstruction purposes. The data was found to have limited applicability due to the occurrence of climate fluctuations, fire in the environment, and the arrival of Euroamericans prior to the surveys. The data also lacked consistency in how it was collected, as the official survey instructions under which the data was collected continued to change. The reliability of the data is compromised by the presence of surveyor fraud, error and bias. |
