Within a large dataset that contains information on location and attributes of forest plots, I need to identify treatment and reference plots for my research.
I ran into problems with reference plot selection. I’m using a pairwise approach, so each treatment plot is to be paired with a reference plot. The criteria for reference plots are:
1. of the same forest type as a treatment plot;
2. located at a minimum distance from a treatment plot.
This means that for each treatment plot, I need to create a subset of plots of the same forest type (a field in the dataset) and then select a plot that is nearest to the treatment plot. Also, I need to make sure that a certain reference plot represented only once.
I have over 500 treatment plots.
How can I do this in in ArcMap?