Using the photoload technique with double sampling to improve surface fuel loading estimates
Wade T. Tinkham A C , Chad M. Hoffman A , Jesse M. Canfield B , Emma Vakili A and Robin M. Reich AA Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, 1472 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1472, USA.
B Earth and Environmental Science Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, PO Box 1663, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: Wade.Tinkham@colostate.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 25(2) 224-228 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF15027
Submitted: 29 January 2015 Accepted: 8 October 2015 Published: 30 November 2015
Abstract
Accurate surface fuel load estimates based on the planar intercept method require a considerable amount of time and cost. Recently the photoload method has been proposed as an alternative for sampling of fine woody surface fuels. To evaluate the use of photoload fuel sampling, six simulated fuel beds of 100 photoload visual estimates and destructively sampled fuel loads were generated at three levels of fuel loading (0.016, 0.060, and 0.120 kg m–2) and two levels of variability (coefficients of variation of ~42 and 85%). We assessed the accuracy and precision of simple random sampling with and without double sampling on surface fuel load estimation. Direct visual estimates often overestimated fuel loads where actual fuel loading was low and underestimated fuel loads where fuel loads were large. We found that double sampling with a classical regression estimation approach provided the most accurate and precise fuel load estimates, substantially improving the accuracy and precision achieved over standard photoload estimation when ń ≥ 20 and double sampling rate ≥20%. These results indicate that fine woody fuel loading estimation with the photoload technique can be improved by incorporating a double sampling approach.
Additional keywords: fuels, ratio estimation, regression estimation.
References
ATSM International (2007) Standard test methods for direct moisture content measurement of wood and wood base materials. Available at http://www.astm.org/Standards/D4442.htm [Verified 22 October 2015]Brown JK (1974) Handbook for inventorying downed woody material. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station General Technical Report GTR-INT-16. (Ogden, UT)
Catchpole WR, Wheeler CJ (1992) Estimating plant biomass: A review of techniques. Australian Journal of Ecology 17, 121–131.
| Estimating plant biomass: A review of techniques.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Deeming JE, Burgan RE, Cohen JD (1997) The national fire-danger rating system. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station General Technical Report GTR-INT-39. (Ogden, UT)
Frayer WE, Furnival GM (1999) Forest survey sampling designs: a history. Journal of Forestry 97, 4–10.
Holley VJ, Keane RE (2010) A visual training tool for the photoload sampling technique. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-242. (Fort Collins, CO)
Johnson EW (2000) ‘Forest sampling desk reference.’ (CRC Press LLC: Boca Raton, FL)
Keane RE (2013) Describing wildland surface fuel loading for fire management: a review of approaches, methods and systems. International Journal of Wildland Fire 22, 51–62.
| Describing wildland surface fuel loading for fire management: a review of approaches, methods and systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Keane RE (2015) ‘Wildland fuel fundamentals and applications.’ (Springer International Publishing: New York, NY)
Keane RE, Dickinson LJ (2007) The Photoload sampling technique: estimating surface fuel loadings using downward looking photographs. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-190. (Fort Collins, CO)
Keane RE, Gray K (2013) Comparing three sampling techniques for estimating fine woody down dead biomass. International Journal of Wildland Fire 22, 1093–1107.
| Comparing three sampling techniques for estimating fine woody down dead biomass.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Keane RE, Gray K, Bacciu V, Leirfallom S (2012) Spatial scaling of wildland fuels for six forest and rangeland ecosystems of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. Landscape Ecology 27, 1213–1234.
| Spatial scaling of wildland fuels for six forest and rangeland ecosystems of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lannom KO, Tinkham WT, Smith AMS, Abatzoglou J, Newingham BA, Hall TE, Morgan P, Strand EK, Paveglio TB, Anderson JW, Sparks AM (2014) Defining extreme wildland fires using geospatial data. International Journal of Wildland Fire 23, 322–337.
| Defining extreme wildland fires using geospatial data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lutes DC, Keane RE, Caratti JF, Key CH, Benson NC, Sutherland S, Gangi LJ (2006) FIREMON: fire effects monitoring and inventory system. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-164-CD. (Fort Collins, CO)
McRoberts RE, Tomppo EO (2007) Remote sensing support for national forest inventories. Remote Sensing of Environment 110, 412–419.
| Remote sensing support for national forest inventories.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ottmar RD, Sandberg DV, Riccardi CL, Prichard SJ (2007) An overview of the fuel characteristic classification system-quantifying, classifying, and creating fuelbeds for resource planning. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37, 2383–2393.
| An overview of the fuel characteristic classification system-quantifying, classifying, and creating fuelbeds for resource planning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reich RM, Bonham CD, Remington KK (1993) Technical notes: double sampling revisited. Journal of Range Management 46, 88–90.
| Technical notes: double sampling revisited.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sandberg DV, Ottmar RD, Cushon GH (2001) Characterizing fuels in the 21st century. International Journal of Wildland Fire 10, 381–387.
| Characterizing fuels in the 21st century.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sikkink PG, Keane RE (2008) A comparison of fire sampling techniques to estimate surface fuel loading in montane forests. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 363–379.
| A comparison of fire sampling techniques to estimate surface fuel loading in montane forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith ET, van Belle G (1984) Nonparametric estimation of species richness. Biometrics 40, 119–129.
| Nonparametric estimation of species richness.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
