Output Chart Types

When you create output files, you can use SORTIE's data visualization capabilities to look at their data in various ways. SORTIE has several chart types that it can create from detailed output files and summary output files. The chart types that you can view depend on the data you have saved in your output files.


Customizing, saving, and printing the charts
Extracting the data to perform your own analyses
Line graphs
Histograms
Tree maps
Grid maps
Tables

Customizing, saving, and printing the charts

The main SORTIE window acts as a desktop for the chart windows displayed. They can be minimized, maximized, moved, and resized within the window. You can close them using the X button in the top right. You will notice that the legends have check boxes next to each species name, along with a color box. Unchecking the box next to a species removes it from all of that file's charts. Clicking on the color next to the species name lets you choose a new color for that species.

The charts themselves can also be modified by right-clicking on them. You can reset axis ranges and zoom in and out. You can save the graph as a separate image file in PNG format by choosing "Save As", and you can also send the graph to a printer.

Extracting the data to perform your own analyses

If you want to perform your own analysis of the data in a detailed output file, you can translate it into tab-delimited text files that you can then open with a spreadsheet. See the topic detailed output files for instructions on how to do this.

Line graphs

You can produce several kinds of line graphs. Four kinds of line graphs: absolute density, relative density, absolute basal area, and relative basal area, can be produced from either summary output files or detailed output output files. If you know you want to look at these graphs, you should save a summary output file. The graphing performance will be significantly better. Another set of line graphs, absolute volume and relative volume, can be created via the detailed output file.

If you are saving a summary output file and have defined subplot areas, the line graphs will also be available for each subplot in addition to the whole plot. Subplots are not available in detailed output files.

In order to view basal area and density graphs from a summary output file, save data for each kind of graph you want to see in the Summary output setup window. To view these graphs from a detailed output output file, save the "DBH" tree data member for saplings, adults, or snags, or the "Diam 10" tree data member for seedlings. For more on how to save these tree data members, see the Setup tree save options window.

To view volume graphs, in the detailed output file, save the Tree Volume tree data member for your chosen tree types. To access this tree member, you must add the Tree volume calculator behavior to your run.

A line graph may also be created for the contents of the Ripley's K grid.

Histograms

The visualizer can produce a histogram for most tree and grid values in a detailed output file. Tree-based histograms display the number of trees per hectare for each species that fall into each of several value groupings for a piece of data. For instance, a height histogram that divided height into one meter increments would show how many trees of each species were from 0 - 1 meters in height, from 1 - 2 meters in height, etc. Grid-based histograms display the number of grid cells that fall into the groupings.

The visualizer attempts to optimize the histogram for the data it is displaying. You can further customize the display of the histogram to suit your data. You have your choice of logarithmic or linear Y axis. You can also redivide the data by specifying the number of bins into which the data is divided, and the size of each bin.

The visualizer defaults to recalculating the bin size for each timestep in order to best display the data, so keep an eye on the bin size as you step through the timesteps. If you change the bin size or number of bins, the visualizer will preserve your changes.

Tree map

A tree map is available when you have saved the X, Y, and DBHs of trees in a detailed output file. The tree map does not display seedlings.

The size of the tree circles corresponds to the size of its DBH, NOT its crown radius. The color matches the species in the legend. The sizes of the circles relative to each other accurately reflect the different DBH values, but their absolute size is meaningless. If a tree is quite small, it may not show up on the map. You can change the minimum DBH to make sure that all the trees that you are interested in are displayed. If your trees do not show up well, you can change the circle sizes. To do this, enter a new value for the "DBH Scale Factor" and click the "Update Map" button. Larger values make the tree circles bigger; smaller values make them smaller.

Clicking and dragging on the tree map zooms in. Once you have zoomed, you can restore the original scale by clicking the button marked "Restore Original View". If you are zoomed, you can scroll around the map in each of the four directions by clicking the arrow buttons surrounding the map.

Grid maps

Maps are available for almost any kind of grid value. The values are shown in grayscale. Maps of boolean values (true/false) will be displayed as black (false) and white (true); any other kind of numerical value allows you to adjust the grayscale for best viewing with the controls to the left of the map.

The color lightness increases linearly with map value from the minimum to the knee, and linearly again from the knee to the maximum.

Once you have adjusted your display values, click the "Update" button. Updating can be slow. If you can't see a difference, try minimizing and then restoring the chart window; this guarantees that it has refreshed.

Tables

An overview table is available for both summary output files and detailed output files. This table shows basal area and density information for each tree life history stage. In the case of a summary output file, only the data that you saved in the summary output file setup window are shown. For a detailed output file, data is shown for each tree species and life history stage for which you have saved at least DBH (or diameter at 10 cm for seedlings). If you know you want to look at this table type, you should save a summary output file. The graphing performance will be significantly better.

When you save DBH data (and optionally, height), you can also view stand tables. These show density or basal area data broken out by DBH size classes that you define.

When you save DBH and tree volume (from the Tree volume calculator behavior), you can view a stock table with tree volume broken out by DBH size classes that you define. In addition, the stock table displays the Mean Annual Increment (MAI), which is calculated as MAI = Volume(T)/(number of years per timestep * T) for a given timestep T, and the volume per year for each timestep (for those trees that contributed to the table); and if you have saved height data, the average of the 10 tallest trees in the plot (not just the 10 tallest trees who have provided data to the table).

Detailed output files can display specialized tables for the following grids:

If you wish to view these tables, set up your detailed output file to save all the data from your chosen grids.


Last updated: 17-Sep-2007 12:46 PM