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Author(s):
Abran Steele-Feldman, Elizabeth D. Reinhardt, Russell A. Parsons
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Mapping
Fuels
Fuels Inventory & Monitoring
Ecosystem(s):
Montane dry mixed-conifer forest, Ponderosa pine woodland/savanna

NRFSN number: 11036
FRAMES RCS number: 7381
Record updated:

We compared the accuracy and precision of digital hemispherical photography and the LI-COR LAI-2000 plant canopy analyzer as predictors of canopy fuels. We collected data on 12 plots in western Montana under a variety of lighting and sky conditions, and used a variety of processing methods to compute estimates. Repeated measurements from each method displayed considerable variability, but hemispherical photography proved to be the more precise method. To evaluate the accuracy of the different methods, we correlated measurements with allometrically derived estimates of canopy bulk density and available canopy fuel. Measurements from both methods were more highly correlated with available canopy fuel than canopy bulk density. Hemispherical photography emerged as the superior methodology, displaying greater precision and accuracy, at least when measurements must be collected under sub-par lighting conditions.

Citation

Steele-Feldman, Abran; Reinhardt, Elizabeth; Parsons, Russell A. 2006. Accuracy and precision of two indirect methods for estimating canopy fuels. In: Andrews, Patricia L.; Butler, Bret W., comps. Fuels management - how to measure success, conference proceedings. 2006 March 28-30; Portland, OR; Proceedings RMRS-P-41. Fort Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 283-291.