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Author(s):
James K. Brown
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fuels
Fuel Descriptions
Ecosystem(s):
Ponderosa pine woodland/savanna

NRFSN number: 11940
FRAMES RCS number: 14063
Record updated:

Physical fuel properties were determined utilizing measurements of volume, surface area, and weight for ponderosa pine forest floors and cheatgrass. Average values of these properties for ponderosa pine needle litter and cheatgrass were respectively: surface area-to-volume ratio (a), 57.6 and 144.0 cm.3/cc.; particle density, 0.51 and 0.34 g./cc.; loading, 324 and 53 g. /m.s; void volume-to-surface area ratio (A), 0.8 and l2.5 cc./cm.2; average particle spacing, 0.66 and 1.70 cm.; bulk density, 0. 0l6 and 0. 00032 g. /cc.; and (aX), 37.5 and 1810. Also presented are volume and surface area proportions of the forest floor litter and of the cheatgrass. A goodness-of-fit test showed that pine needles were randomly oriented in the horizontal plane and that cheatgrass particles were nonrandomly oriented in the vertical plane. Correlation analysis indicated that bulk density and particle spacing could be substituted for X, a fairly difficult variable to measure.

Citation

Brown, James K. 1970. Physical fuel properties of ponderosa pine forest floors and cheatgrasses. Res. Pap. INT-RP-74. Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 16 p.

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