Estimating canopy fuel parameters for Atlantic Coastal Plain forest types.

Parresol, Bernard, R.

USDA Forest Service, Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC

关键词: Forests;    Pines;    Fire Hazards;    Canopy Fuel, Forest Types;    Spatial Resolution Canopy Fuel, Forest Types;   

DOI  :  10.2172/992617
RP-ID  :  na
RP-ID  :  AI09-00SR22188
RP-ID  :  992617

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

AbstractIt is necessary to quantify forest canopy characteristics to assess crown fire hazard, prioritize treatment areas, and design treatments to reduce crown fire potential. A number of fire behavior models such as FARSITE, FIRETEC, and NEXUS require as input four particular canopy fuel parameters: 1) canopy cover, 2) stand height, 3) crown base height, and 4) canopy bulk density. These canopy characteristics must be mapped across the landscape at high spatial resolution to accurately simulate crown fire. Currently no models exist to forecast these four canopy parameters for forests of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, a region that supports millions of acres of loblolly, longleaf, and slash pine forests as well as pine-broadleaf forests and mixed species broadleaf forests. Many forest cover types are recognized, too many to efficiently model. For expediency, forests of the Savannah River Site are categorized as belonging to 1 of 7 broad forest type groups, based on composition: 1) loblolly pine, 2) longleaf pine, 3) slash pine, 4) pine-hardwood, 5) hardwood-pine, 6) hardwoods, and 7) cypress-tupelo. These 7 broad forest types typify forests of the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, from Maryland to Florida.