Repository logo
 

Crown characteristics of interior western U.S. conifers with implications for canopy fire hazard evaluation

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorEx, Seth, author
dc.contributor.authorSmith, Frederick, advisor
dc.contributor.authorBattaglia, Michael, committee member
dc.contributor.authorDickinson, Yvette, committee member
dc.contributor.authorRyan, Michael, committee member
dc.contributor.authorSteingraeber, David, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T06:30:35Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T06:30:35Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.description.abstractTree crown characteristics are important determinants of forest stand features such as their potential to sustain canopy fire. There are characteristic differences between crowns of shade tolerant and shade intolerant conifer species: shade tolerant conifers generally have longer, fuller crowns than intolerant species. In this work, I investigated the response of vertical foliage distribution to stand density for a suite of western U.S. conifer species of varying shade tolerance and interpreted results in terms of canopy fire hazard evaluation. In addition, I evaluated whether diameter-based foliage area allometries differ between geographic areas in the interior western U.S. in order to gain insight into the extent that local allometries can be applied outside their area of origination. I found shade tolerant tree species maintained a greater proportion of their foliage in low light environments than intolerant species. This was consistent with lesser sensitivity of crown ratio to increasing stand density for tolerant compared to intolerant conifers. Regardless of species shade tolerance or stand density, the center of foliage mass within crowns was nearly always above the crown midpoint. Foliage mass was shifted upward and concentrated in closed-canopy forest stands compared to open-canopy woodland stands, which is consistent with greater light competition in closed-canopy stands. Foliage area allometries differed between geographic areas, and differences were species-specific. Using realistic depictions of the vertical distribution of crown fuels in a canopy fire hazard evaluation procedure resulted in dramatic increases in estimated canopy bulk density for stands, with associated increases in estimated potential fire behavior.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierEx_colostate_0053A_12554.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/83737
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subjectforest management
dc.subjectwildfire
dc.subjectstand structure
dc.subjectfuel profile
dc.subjectsilviculture
dc.subjectcrown architecture
dc.titleCrown characteristics of interior western U.S. conifers with implications for canopy fire hazard evaluation
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineForest and Rangeland Stewardship
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Ex_colostate_0053A_12554.pdf
Size:
2.52 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

2000-2019
Theses and Dissertations