---
title: "Small Area Estimators"
output: rmarkdown::html_vignette
description: >
Learn how to calculate population estimates and variance estimates using a suite of small area estimators from packages like `JoSAE` (Breidenbach 2015), `sae` (Molina and Marhuenda 2015), and `hbsae` (Boonstra 2012).
vignette: >
%\VignetteIndexEntry{Small Area Estimators}
%\VignetteEngine{knitr::rmarkdown}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
---
```{r setup, include=FALSE}
knitr::opts_chunk$set(warning = FALSE, message = FALSE)
```
```{r, include=FALSE}
# Sets up output folding
hooks = knitr::knit_hooks$get()
hook_foldable = function(type) {
force(type)
function(x, options) {
res = hooks[[type]](x, options)
if (isFALSE(options[[paste0("fold.", type)]])) return(res)
paste0(
"", type, "
\n\n",
res,
"\n\n
View SA Example Data
Data Frame | Description
-----------| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WYplt | WY plot-level data
WYcond | WY condition-level data
WYtree | WY tree-level data
External data | Description
-------------------------| ------------------------------------------------------------------
WYbighorn_adminbnd.shp | Polygon shapefile of WY Bighorn National Forest Administrative boundary*
WYbighorn_districtbnd.shp| Polygon shapefile of WY Bighorn National Forest District boundaries**
WYbighorn_forest_nonforest_250m.tif| GeoTIFF raster of predicted forest/nonforest (1/0) for stratification***
WYbighorn_dem_250m.img | Erdas Imagine raster of elevation change, in meters****
*USDA Forest Service, Automated Lands Program (ALP). 2018. S_USA.AdministrativeForest (\url{http://data.fs.usda.gov/geodata/edw}). Description: An area encompassing all the National Forest System lands administered by an administrative unit. The area encompasses private lands, other governmental agency lands, and may contain National Forest System lands within the proclaimed boundaries of another administrative unit. All National Forest System lands fall within one and only one Administrative Forest Area.
**USDA Forest Service, Automated Lands Program (ALP). 2018. S_USA.RangerDistrict (http://data.fs.usda.gov/geodata/edw). Description: A depiction of the boundary that encompasses a Ranger District.
***Based on MODIS-based classified map resampled from 250m to 500m resolution and reclassified from 3 to 2 classes: 1:forest; 2:nonforest. Projected in Albers Conical Equal Area, Datum NAD27 (Ruefenacht et al. 2008). Clipped to extent of WYbighorn_adminbnd.shp.
****USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED), resampled from 30m resolution to 250m. Projected in Albers Conical Equal Area, Datum NAD27 (U.S. Geological Survey 2017). Clipped to boundary of WYbighorn_adminbnd.shp.
### Set up
First, you'll need to load the `FIESTA` library:
```{r, warning = F, message = F}
library(FIESTA)
```
Next, you'll need to set up an "outfolder". This is just a file path to a folder where you'd like `FIESTA` to send your data output. For this vignette, we have set our outfolder file path as a temporary directory.
```{r}
outfolder <- tempdir()
```
### Get data for examples
View Getting Data
Now that we've loaded `FIESTA` and setup our outfolder, we can retrieve the data needed to run the examples. First, we point to some external data and predictor layers stored in `FIESTA` and derive new predictor layers using the `terra` package.
```{r}
# File names for external spatial data
WYbhfn <- system.file("extdata", "sp_data/WYbighorn_adminbnd.shp", package="FIESTA")
WYbhdistfn <- system.file("extdata", "sp_data/WYbighorn_districtbnd.shp", package="FIESTA")
WYbhdist.att <- "DISTRICTNA"
fornffn <- system.file("extdata", "sp_data/WYbighorn_forest_nonforest_250m.tif", package="FIESTA")
demfn <- system.file("extdata", "sp_data/WYbighorn_dem_250m.img", package="FIESTA")
# Derive new predictor layers from dem
library(terra)
dem <- rast(demfn)
slpfn <- paste0(outfolder, "/WYbh_slp.img")
slp <- terra::terrain(dem,
v = "slope",
unit = "degrees",
filename = slpfn,
overwrite = TRUE,
NAflag = -99999.0)
aspfn <- paste0(outfolder, "/WYbh_asp.img")
asp <- terra::terrain(dem,
v = "aspect",
unit = "degrees",
filename = aspfn,
overwrite = TRUE,
NAflag = -99999.0)
```
Next, we define the small area boundary layer and the name of the attribute in the layer that delineates the domains.
```{r}
smallbnd <- WYbhdistfn
smallbnd.domain <- "DISTRICTNA"
```
Next, we can get our FIA plot data and set up our auxiliary data. We can get our FIA plot data with the `spGetPlots` function from `FIESTA`. In this case we already have all of the necessary tables loaded as objects into R so we just need to supply them to the function in an appropriate manner. Note that `spGetPlots` is also capable of accessing data through [FIA's DataMart](https://apps.fs.usda.gov/fia/datamart/datamart.html). In that case, the data is first downloaded for all U.S. states intersecting the boundary, and then later on it is further subset to plots that fall within the boundary of interest. For more examples and documentation see `help(spGetPlots)` or the `sp` vignette.
For this example we define a custom evaluation (`eval = 'custom'`) which consists of plots from inventory years 2011-2013.
```{r}
SApltdat <- spGetPlots(bnd = WYbhdistfn,
xy_datsource = "obj",
xy = WYplt,
xy_opts = xy_options(xy.uniqueid = "CN",
xvar = "LON_PUBLIC",
yvar = "LAT_PUBLIC",
xy.crs = 4269),
datsource = "obj",
dbTabs = dbTables(plot_layer = WYplt,
cond_layer = WYcond,
tree_layer = WYtree,
seed_layer = WYseed),
eval = "custom",
eval_opts = eval_options(invyrs = 2011:2013),
showsteps = TRUE,
returnxy = TRUE,
savedata_opts = savedata_options(outfolder = outfolder))
```
```{r}
str(SApltdat, max.level = 1)
```
Finally, we must have plot level auxiliary data for for small area estimation. We can do this with the `spGetAuxiliary` function from `FIESTA`. Again, see the `sp` vignette for further information on this function.
```{r, results='hide'}
rastlst.cont <- c(demfn, slpfn, aspfn)
rastlst.cont.name <- c("dem", "slp", "asp")
rastlst.cat <- fornffn
rastlst.cat.name <- "fornf"
unit_layer <- WYbhdistfn
unitvar <- "DISTRICTNA"
auxdat <- spGetAuxiliary(xyplt = SApltdat$spxy,
uniqueid = "PLT_CN",
unit_layer = unit_layer,
unitvar = "DISTRICTNA",
rastlst.cont = rastlst.cont,
rastlst.cont.name = rastlst.cont.name,
rastlst.cont.stat = "mean",
rastlst.cont.NODATA = 0,
rastlst.cat = rastlst.cat,
rastlst.cat.name = rastlst.cat.name,
asptransform = TRUE,
rast.asp = aspfn,
keepNA = FALSE,
showext = FALSE,
savedata = FALSE)
```
```{r}
str(auxdat, max.level = 1)
```
## Examples
### `modSApop`
#### Example 1: Creating our population dataset with `modMApop`
View Example
We can create our population data for small area estimation. To do so, we use the `modSApop` function in `FIESTA`. We must assign our plot data with the `pltdat` argument, the auxiliary dataset with the `auxdat` argument, and set information for our small areas with the `smallbnd` and `smallbnd.domain` arguments. The `spGetPlots` and `spGetAuxiliary` functions have done much of the hard work for us so far, so we can just run a simple call to `modSApop`:
```{r}
SApopdat <- modSApop(pltdat = SApltdat,
auxdat = auxdat,
smallbnd = WYbhdistfn,
smallbnd.domain = smallbnd.domain)
```
Note that the `modSApop` function returns a list with lots of information and data for us to use. For a quick look at what this list includes we can use the `str` function:
```{r}
str(SApopdat, max.level = 1)
```
Now that we've created our population dataset, we can move on to estimation.
### `modSAarea`
#### Example 2: Area of forest land, unit-level EBLUP
View Example
First, we can set up our predictors as a vector:
```{r}
all_preds <- c("slp", "dem", "asp_cos", "asp_sin", "fornf")
```
Next, we fit the unit-level EBLUP using all of the predictors with the `JoSAE` R package.
```{r}
area1 <- modSAarea(SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "JoSAE", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
multest = FALSE) # est - whether to also run all other available small area estimators
```
The `modSAarea` function outputs both the estimates:
```{r}
area1$est
```
and a series of intermediate "raw" tables and items. These are usually a collection of items that were used to produce the cleaned up table of estimates (i.e `area1$est`).
```{r}
str(area1$raw, max.level = 1)
```
#### Example 3: Area of forest land, area-level EBLUP
View Example
In this example, we fit an area-level EBLUP with `JoSAE`, while only using slp as a predictor. We use only one predictor in the area level model because at the area level, we only have three rows in our dataset. Since we also have a random effect term, the model we fit can have a maximum of one predictor without being exactly singular. We also set `multest = TRUE` which will cause the function to produce estimates using all of the available small area estimators and output these in a separate table.
```{r}
area2 <- modSAarea(SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = "dem", # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "JoSAE", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "area", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
multest = TRUE) # est - whether to also run all other available small area estimators
```
We again can see our estimates. Notably, we have slightly larger percent sampling errors to the unit-level model fit in Example 2. This is likely due to only being able to incorporate one predictor's worth of information to the model.
```{r}
area2$est
```
Since `FIESTA` will attempt fit all models when running `modSAarea`, we can look at all the different modeling approaches and their estimates with the `multest` object.
```{r}
area2$multest
```
Notably, the `hbsae` models returned NAs with this model, likely due to computational issues with the integral they compute. Not to worry, though, we will fit models with `hbsae` in the next example.
#### Example 4: Area of forest land, hierarchical Bayesian models
View Example
`FIESTA` also supports the use of hierarchical Bayesian (HB) models through the `hbsae` package as an alternative to EBLUPs. These models use the same model specification as the EBLUP, however they fit the model using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, and get parameter estimates through numerical integration. Luckily, we do not have to take an integral ourselves to fit these models, we can just change the `SApackage` argument.
```{r}
area3 <- modSAarea(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "hbsae", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
multest = TRUE
)
```
We can again check our estimates, small area method, and small area package.
```{r}
area3$est
area3$raw$SAmethod
area3$raw$SApackage
```
#### Example 5: Ara of forest land, hierarchical Bayesian models, changing prior distribution
View Example
Notably, we can also set priors on the ratio of between and within area variation with `hbsae`. By default, `FIESTA` uses a weakly informative half-Cauchy prior on this parameter as suggested by White et al (2021), but in this example we will fit the same model as before, but with a flat prior.
```{r}
area4 <- modSAarea(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "hbsae", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
na.fill = "DIR",
prior = function(x) 1 # est - prior on ratio of between and within area variation
)
```
Let's check our results compared to Example 3 (same model with half-Cauchy prior)
```{r}
area3$est
area4$est
```
Due to rounding we do in `FIESTA`, we see the same result. However, the estimates are slightly different. We can see this with the model objects supplied in the output list from `FIESTA`:
```{r}
```
#### Example 6: Area of forest land, with model variable selection, `JoSAE` unit level EBLUP
View Example
`FIESTA` supports model variable selection via the elastic net. To use model selection, we set the `modelselect` argument to `TRUE`.
```{r}
area5 <- modSAarea(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "JoSAE", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
modelselect = TRUE # est - elastic net variable selection
)
```
We can now look at estimates with our subset of selected predictors and the predictors that were selected.
```{r}
area5$est
area5$raw$predselect.unit
```
### `modSAtree`
We will set our estimate variable and filter now. We set `estvar` to `"VOLCFNET"` for net cubic foot volume, and filter with `estvar.filter` set to `"STATUSCD == 1"` so we only consider live trees in our estimation.
```{r}
estvar <- "VOLCFNET"
live_trees <- "STATUSCD = 1"
```
#### Example 7: Total net cubic-foot volume of live trees (at least 5 inches diameter)
View Example
Now, we can look at the total net cubic-foot volume of live trees, filtered for live trees that are at least 5 inches in diameter. We use the `estvar` and `live_trees` objects defined above to set our response variable and filter, and then compute the estimates.
```{r}
tree1 <- modSAtree(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "JoSAE", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
landarea = "FOREST", # est - forest land filter
estvar = estvar, # est - net cubic-foot volume
estvar.filter = live_trees # est - live trees only
)
```
With both `modSAtree` and `modSAarea`, `FIESTA` will return your requested estimates specified with the `SApackage` and `SAmethod` arguments in the `est` item, but will return all possible estimates in the `multest` item. We can see these estimates below:
```{r}
tree1$est
tree1$multest
```
Notably, the area level models are NA in for this model, as there were more predictors than degrees of freedom in the model at the area level.
#### Example 8: Total net cubic-foot volume of live trees (at least 5 inches diameter), using model selection
View Example
We can bring the `modelselect` parameter into play with `modSAtree` as well as `modSAarea`. In the below code, we set `modelselect = TRUE` to use the elastic net variable selection before fitting the model.
```{r}
tree2 <- modSAtree(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "JoSAE", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
landarea = "FOREST", # est - forest land filter
estvar = estvar, # est - net cubic-foot volume
estvar.filter = live_trees, # est - live trees only
modelselect = TRUE
)
```
We now can look at the selected predictors and estimates.
```{r}
tree2$raw$predselect.unit
tree2$est
```
#### Example 9: Above Ground Dry Biomass of live trees on forest land (at least 5 inches diameter), unit EBLUP from `JoSAE`
View Example
We can also use different response variables to estimate, and in this example we chose basal area. We also returned titles by using `returntitle = TRUE`.
```{r}
tree3 <- modSAtree(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = all_preds, # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "JoSAE", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "unit", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
landarea = "FOREST", # est - forest land filter
estvar = "DRYBIO_AG", # est - net cubic-foot volume
estvar.filter = live_trees, # est - live trees only
returntitle = TRUE
)
```
Now we can take a look at our estimates:
```{r}
tree3$est
```
and see our title list since we set `returntitle` to `TRUE`.
```{r}
tree3$titlelst
```
#### Example 10: Above Ground Dry Biomass of live trees on forest land (at least 5 inches diameter), area EBLUP from `sae`
View Example
Now, we can of course fit a different model to estimate basal area. In this case, we choose to use dem to predict dry above ground biomass with an area-level EBLUP from the `sae` package.
```{r}
tree4 <- modSAtree(
SApopdatlst = SApopdat, # pop - population calculations for WY, post-stratification
prednames = "dem", # est - character vector of predictors to be used in the model
SApackage = "sae", # est - character string of the R package to do the estimation
SAmethod = "area", # est - method of small area estimation. Either "unit" or "area"
landarea = "FOREST", # est - forest land filter
estvar = "DRYBIO_AG", # est - net cubic-foot volume
estvar.filter = live_trees, # est - live trees only
returntitle = TRUE
)
```
Now we can take a look at our estimates.
```{r}
tree4$est
```
## References
Breidenbach J. 2018. JoSAE: Unit-Level and Area-Level Small Area Estimation.
Molina I, Marhuenda Y. 2015. sae: An R Package for Small Area Estimation. The R Journal, 7(1), 81–98. https://journal.r-project.org/archive/2015/RJ-2015-007/RJ-2015-007.pdf.
Rao, J.N.K. 2003. Small Area Estimation. Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey.