Puerto Rico's forest inventory - Adapting the Forest Inventory and Analysis program to a Caribbean island

Rapid changes in vegetation over short distances, high species diversity, and fragmented landscape challenge the implementation of the Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program on Puerto Rico. Applying the hexagonal FIA grid as used on the continental United States,the Forest Service is installing a new forest sampling and monitoring framework that incorporates previous inventory plots and has an expanded scope. However, an adequate description of Puerto Rico's diverse tropical forests requires additional sampling; the solution is l to intensify the base systematic sampling grid. Ultimately, this framework can be used to monitor all vegetation and cover types on the island, plus fauna, soils, and air and water quality-in short, to create a comprehensive, long-term natural resources inventory and monitoring network.