Characterizing fuels in the 21st Century

2001 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
David V. Sandberg ◽  
Roger D. Ottmar ◽  
Geoffrey H. Cushon
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Fire Behavior ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Characteristic Classes ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Ecological Principles ◽  
Fuel Characteristics ◽  
Vegetation Form ◽  
Fuel Characteristic

This paper was presented at the conference ‘Integrating spatial technologies and ecological principles for a new age in fire management’, Boise, Idaho, USA, June 1999 The ongoing development of sophisticated fire behavior and effects models has demonstrated the need for a comprehensive system of fuel classification that more accurately captures the structural complexity and geographic diversity of fuelbeds. The Fire and Environmental Research Applications Team (FERA) of the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, is developing a national system of fuel characteristic classification (FCC). The system is designed to accommodate researchers and managers operating at a variety of scales, and who have access to a variety of kinds of input data. Users can generate fuel characteristics by accessing existing fuelbed descriptions (fuelbed prototypes) using generic information such as cover type or vegetation form. Fuelbed prototypes will provide the best available predictions of the kind, quality and abundance of fuels. Users can accept these default settings or modify some or all of them using more detailed information about vegetation structure and fuel biomass. When the user has completed editing the fuelbed data, the FCC system calculates or infers quantitative fuel characteristics (physical, chemical, and structural properties) and probable fire parameters specific to that fuelbed. Each user-described fuelbed is also assigned to one of approximately 192 stylized fuel characteristic classes.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Flower, Fruit, and Juice Characteristics of a Multinational Collection of Cider Apple Cultivars Grown in the U.S. Pacific Northwest

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Miles ◽  
Jacqueline King ◽  
Travis Robert Alexander ◽  
Edward Scheenstra
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Alcoholic Beverage ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Apple Cultivars ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Ashton Research Station ◽  
Strongly Consistent

Little information exists on the bloom and fruit characteristics of cider apple (Malus ×domestica) cultivars grown in the United States for the juice and alcoholic beverage markets. In this study, a total of 17 cider apple cultivars, including 4 American, 9 English, and 4 French, plus 1 Danish standard dessert apple cultivar (Red Gravenstein, Worthen strain) commonly used for cider, all grown in northwest Washington, were evaluated from 2000 to 2015 for commercially relevant traits. Trees were rated each year and the cultivars were categorized accordingly by relative bloom time, bloom habit, and productivity. The mean full bloom (FB) date of the 18 apple cultivars evaluated ranged from 25 Apr. to 25 May, with 6 cultivars categorized as early season bloomers, 9 as midseason, and 3 as late season. The mean bloom density (BD) rating (measured on a scale of 1–5) for all cultivars was (mean ± sd) 3.8 ± 0.6 (moderate bloom), with the bloom habit of 1 cultivar categorized as biennial, 11 as consistent, and 6 as strongly consistent. The mean productivity rating (measured on a scale of 1–5) for all cultivars was 2.9 ± 0.6 (light fruiting), with the productivity of 4 cultivars categorized as biennial, 10 as consistent, and 4 as strongly consistent. The mean fruit diameter of the 18 apple cultivars was 2.7 ± 0.4 inches (medium sized), with the fruit size of 2 cultivars categorized as small-fruited, 15 as medium-fruited, and 1 as large-fruited. For the 18 cultivars, the mean tannin and titratable acidity (TA) were 0.20% ± 0.14% and 0.54% ± 0.28%, respectively, and using the English cider apple classification system of juice type, 4 of the cultivars were classified as bittersweet, 1 as bittersharp, 3 as sweet, and 10 as sharp. Three of the cultivars had tannin content lower than what was historically recorded at the Long Ashton Research Station (LARS) in Bristol, England, for those same cultivars. The mean specific gravity (SG) of the 18 cultivars was 1.052 ± 0.007, the average predicted alcohol by volume (ABV) was 6.9% ± 0.9%, and the mean pH was 3.68 ± 0.39. Classification of three cultivars in northwest Washington, based on juice characteristics, differed from their historical classification in England, likely because of differences in climate and management. Only cultivars Golden Russet (sharp), Grimes Golden (sharp), and Yarlington Mill (sweet, but borderline bittersweet) were strongly consistent in productivity, but none produced high levels of tannin, whereas only cultivars Bramtot (bittersweet), Chisel Jersey (bittersweet), and Breakwell Seedling (bittersharp) were consistent in productivity and produced high levels of tannin.

scholarly journals Forest Type Definitions by Cluster Analysis

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 101-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem W.S. van Hees ◽  
Kevin Dobelbower ◽  
Kenneth Winterberger
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Forest Inventory ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Inventory Data ◽  
Southeast Alaska ◽  
Cluster Development ◽  
Forest Inventory Data

Abstract A method is presented to develop forest type definitions by using cluster analysis of forest inventory data collected in southeast Alaska from 1995 through 1998. Species stocking levels were used as variables for cluster development. Pacific Northwest Research Station forest inventory staff could not compute forest type for some forested conditions in southeast Alaska using then existing forest type definitions. Forest type definitions developed by cluster analysis improved computed assignment of forest type. West. J. Appl. For. 16(3):101–105.

scholarly journals Evaluating Potential Fire Behavior in Lodgepole Pine-Dominated Forests after a Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic in North-Central Colorado

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 101-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer G. Klutsch ◽  
Mike A. Battaglia ◽  
Daniel R. West ◽  
Sheryl L. Costello ◽  
José F. Negrón
Keyword(s):  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Fire Behavior ◽  
Crown Fire ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Surface Fire ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle ◽  
Fuel Characteristics

Abstract A mountain pine beetle outbreak in Colorado lodgepole pine forests has altered stand and fuel characteristics that affect potential fire behavior. Using the Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator, potential fire behavior was modeled for uninfested and mountain pine beetle-affected plots 7 years after outbreak initiation and 10 and 80% projected tree fall using measured and projected fuel and stand characteristics. Under 90th percentile weather conditions, uninfested plots exhibited proportionally more crown fire than infested plots. Plots predicted to have crown fire were composed mainly of nonhost conifer species and had a lower and more continuous canopy than infested plots. Where surface fire was predicted to occur, live lodgepole pine was the only conifer present, and plots had significantly lower tree mortality from fire than plots predicted to have crown fire. Mountain pine beetle-induced changes in stand and fuel characteristics resulted in increased intensity of surface fire behavior. Furthermore, with 80% infested tree fall, potential smoke production was predicted to be higher. Tree species composition of stands pre and postbark beetle outbreak is important when identifying mountain pine beetle-caused changes to potential fire behavior.

Interactive effect of vegetation and climate warming on total microbial and fungal biomass in soil

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Udovenko ◽  
Vusal Guliyev ◽  
Evgenia Blagodatskaya
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Fungal Biomass ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Soil Microbial

<p>Soil microbiota ensuring sustainable functioning of terrestrial ecosystems is strongly dependent on climatic conditions and vegetation type. Even within the same climatic zone, active land use alters the size, structure and functioning of the microbial community. We hypothesized that land use effect on soil microbial biomass will be more pronounced under impact of global warming. We also tested whether the biomass of specific microbial group (e.g., fungi) is more sensitive to environmental changes than total microbial biomass.</p><p>We proved these hypotheses in the experiments based on Global Change Experimental Facility platform, located at the field research station of the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research in Bad Lauchstädt near Halle, Saxon-Anhalt, Germany. Experimental setup included 50 plots, located in 10 blocks (5 plots per block). Five blocks are under ambient climate and the rest 5 blocks are subjected to a realistic climate change treatment (under conditions predicted by several models of climate change in Central Germany for 2050–2080 period). Five land use types were established in every block: conventional farming; organic farming; intensively used meadow, extensively used meadow and extensively used pasture. We determined soil microbial biomass and its fungal component by chloroform fumigation-extraction method and by ergosterol content, respectively. We found that fungal biomass was more sensitive to intensive land use for crop production than to climate change. The possible mechanisms of such a sensitivity will be discussed.</p>

scholarly journals Examining conifer canopy structural complexity across forest ages and elevations with LiDAR data

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 774-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Van R. Kane ◽  
Jonathan D. Bakker ◽  
Robert J. McGaughey ◽  
James A. Lutz ◽  
Rolf F. Gersonde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Canopy Structure ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Low Complexity ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Complexity Classes ◽  
High Complexity ◽  
Development Models ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
The Pacific

LiDAR measurements of canopy structure can be used to classify forest stands into structural stages to study spatial patterns of canopy structure, identify habitat, or plan management actions. A key assumption in this process is that differences in canopy structure based on forest age and elevation are consistent with predictions from models of stand development. Three LiDAR metrics (95th percentile height, rumple, and canopy density) were computed for 59 secondary and 35 primary forest plots in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Hierarchical clustering identified two precanopy closure classes, two low-complexity postcanopy closure classes, and four high-complexity postcanopy closure classes. Forest development models suggest that secondary plots should be characterized by low-complexity classes and primary plots characterized by high-complexity classes. While the most and least complex classes largely confirmed this relationship, intermediate-complexity classes were unexpectedly composed of both secondary and primary forest types. Complexity classes were not associated with elevation, except that primary Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière (mountain hemlock) plots were complex. These results suggest that canopy structure does not develop in a linear fashion and emphasize the importance of measuring structural conditions rather than relying on development models to estimate structural complexity across forested landscapes.

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