Environment Pattern Reconstruction from Sample Data. II. Spatial Characteristics. Mississippi Delta Region.

The spatial structure of the map pattern for the Mississippi Delta region of southeast Louisiana can be represented by the mean distances which separate the seven major types of depositional environments. This information provides a basis for devising an optimal sampling strategy which takes into consideration the costs of sampling. For areas where it is desired to reconstruct the underlying depositional pattern based on the fewest numbers of samples, such a strategy could yield the greatest economic savings. Random sampling of the environmental map pattern of the Mississippi Delta region is nearly as effective as that obtained by systematic sampling. Author