Fuel Classification for the southern Appalachian Mountains using Hyperspectral Image analysis and Landscape Ecosystem Classification - Task 4

摘要

Excessive fuel loading and rapid urbanization are of concern throughout the southern Appalachian Mountains. Prescribed burning has been attempted only recently in these mountains and fuel models are not available. This project used a two-phase approach to model fuel loading in the region. The first phase tested and existing Landscape Ecosystem Classification Model as a basis for classification of fuels in mountainous terrain. We expected fuel classes to be correlated with the same variables used to define landscape units (geography and topography). Phase one used over 1,000 study plots throughout 4 states to measure fuels over a variety of topographic and disturbance conditions. Pilot studies showed that the Landscape Ecosystem Approach was difficult to use and provided little extra information than by stratifying sample plots by topographic position (southwest-facing upper and lower slopes, northwest-facing upper and lower slopes, and ridges). Therefore, each plot was described by topographic position. Disturbances were described by existing conditions and confirmation from management records. Common disturbances included fire, windthrow, southern pine beetle attack, and harvesting. Sampling required approximately 3 years to complete because of the remote locations of most sample plots.