RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Pre-fire aboveground biomass, estimated from LiDAR, spectral and field inventory data, as a major driver of burn severity in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) ecosystems
A1 Fernandez-Guisuraga, Jose Manuel
A1 Suarez-Seoane, Susana
A1 Fernandes, Paolo
A1 Fernandez-García, Victor
A1 Fernández-Manso, Alfonso
A1 Quintano, Carmen
A1 Calvo, Leonor
AB Background: The characterization of surface and canopy fuel loadings in fire-prone pine ecosystems is critical forunderstanding fire behavior and anticipating the most harmful ecological effects of fire. Nevertheless, the jointconsideration of both overstory and understory strata in burn severity assessments is often dismissed. The aim ofthis work was to assess the role of total, overstory and understory pre-fire aboveground biomass (AGB), estimatedby means of airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Landsat data, as drivers of burn severity in amegafire occurred in a pine ecosystem dominated by Pinus pinaster Ait. in the western Mediterranean Basin.Results: Total and overstory AGB were more accurately estimated (R2 equal to 0.72 and 0.68, respectively) fromLiDAR and spectral data than understory AGB (R2 ¼ 0.26). Density and height percentile LiDAR metrics forseveral strata were found to be important predictors of AGB. Burn severity responded markedly and non-linearlyto total (R2 ¼ 0.60) and overstory (R2 ¼ 0.53) AGB, whereas the relationship with understory AGB was weaker(R2 ¼ 0.21). Nevertheless, the overstory plus understory AGB contribution led to the highest ability to predictburn severity (RMSE ¼ 122.46 in dNBR scale), instead of the joint consideration as total AGB (RMSE ¼ 158.41).Conclusions: This study novelty evaluated the potential of pre-fire AGB, as a vegetation biophysical propertyderived from LiDAR, spectral and field plot inventory data, for predicting burn severity, separating the contributionof the fuel loads in the understory and overstory strata in Pinus pinaster stands. The evidenced relationshipsbetween burn severity and pre-fire AGB distribution in Pinus pinaster stands would allow the implementation ofthreshold criteria to support decision making in fuel treatments designed to minimize crown fire hazard.
PB Elsevier
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/67791
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/67791
LA spa
NO Forest Ecosystems, Febrero 2022, 9, 100022.
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 25-jun-2024