Predicting post-fire canopy mortality in the boreal forest from dNBR derived from time series of Landsat data
Ignacio San-Miguel A C , David W. Andison B , Nicholas C. Coops A and Gregory J. M. Rickbeil A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Integrated Remote Sensing Studio, Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
B Bandaloop Landscape-Ecosystem Services, 1011 Hendecourt Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 2X3, Canada.
C Corresponding author. Email: ignacio.sanmiguel@alumni.ubc.ca
International Journal of Wildland Fire 25(7) 762-774 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF15226
Submitted: 25 September 2015 Accepted: 21 March 2016 Published: 16 May 2016
Abstract
Regulatory and certification agencies need historical fire pattern information across the Canadian boreal forest to support natural disturbance-based management. Landsat-derived spectral indices have been used extensively to map burn severity in North America. However, satellite-derived burn severity is difficult to define and quantify, and relies heavily on ground truth data for validation, which hinders fire pattern analysis over broad scales. It is therefore critical to translate burn severity estimates into more quantifiable measurements of post-fire conditions and to provide more cost-effective methods to derive validation data. We assessed the degree to which Landsat-derived indices and ancillary data can be used to classify canopy mortality for 10 fires in the boreal forest of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. Models based on two and three mortality classes had overall accuracies of 91 and 72% respectively. The three-level classification has more utility for resource management, with improved accuracy at predicting unburned and complete canopy mortality classes (93 and 66%), but is relatively inaccurate for the partial mortality class (56%). The results presented here can be used to assess the suitability of different canopy mortality models for forest fire management goals, to help provide objective, consistent and cost-effective results to analyse historical fire patterns across the Canadian boreal forest.
Additional keywords: aerial-photographic interpretation, burn severity, ecosystem-based management, fire behaviour, fire patterns, historical range of variability, tasselled cap transformation.
References
Agee JK (1998) The landscape ecology of Western forest fire regimes. Northwest Science 72, 24–34.Andison DW, McCleary K (2014) Detecting regional differences in within-wildfire burn patterns in western boreal Canada. Forestry Chronicle 90, 59–69.
| Detecting regional differences in within-wildfire burn patterns in western boreal Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Attiwill PM (1994) The disturbance of forest ecosystems: the ecological basis for conservative management. Forest Ecology and Management 63, 247–300.
| The disturbance of forest ecosystems: the ecological basis for conservative management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
AVIS (Alberta Vegetation Interpretation Standards) (2005) Vegetation inventory standards and data model documents, version 2.1.1. Resource Information Management Branch, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. (Edmonton, AB).
Breiman L (1996) ‘Out-of-bag estimation.’ (Department of Statistics, University of California: Berkeley, CA).
Breiman L (2001) Random forests. Machine Learning 45, 5–32.
| Random forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brewer CK, Winne JC, Redmond RL, Opitz DW, Mangrich MV (2005) Classifying and mapping wildfire severity: a comparison of methods. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 71, 1311–1320.
| Classifying and mapping wildfire severity: a comparison of methods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brown JK, Smith JK (2000) Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on flora. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-42-Vol. 2. (Ogden, UT).
Burton P, Parisien M, Hicke J, Hall RJ, Freeburn JT (2008) Large fires as agents of ecological diversity in the North American boreal forest. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 754–767.
| Large fires as agents of ecological diversity in the North American boreal forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Canadian Forest Service (2010) National Fire Database – agency fire data. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre. (Edmonton, AB)
Chuvieco E, Riaño D, Danson FM, Martin P (2006) Use of a radiative transfer model to simulate the post-fire spectral response to burn severity. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, G04S09
| Use of a radiative transfer model to simulate the post-fire spectral response to burn severity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cocke AE, Fulé PZ, Crouse JE (2005) Comparison of burn severity assessments using Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio and ground data. International Journal of Wildland Fire 14, 189–198.
| Comparison of burn severity assessments using Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio and ground data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cohen WB, Spies TA, Fiorella M (1995) Estimating the age and structure of forests in a multi-ownership landscape of western Oregon, USA. International Journal of Remote Sensing 16, 721–746.
| Estimating the age and structure of forests in a multi-ownership landscape of western Oregon, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Crist EP, Cicone RC (1984) A physically based transformation of Thematic Mapper Data – The TM tasseled cap. IEEE Transactions on GE-22, 256–263.
| A physically based transformation of Thematic Mapper Data – The TM tasseled cap.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cumming S (2001) Forest type and wildfire in the Alberta boreal mixedwood: what do fifires burn? Ecological Applications 11, 97–110.
| Forest type and wildfire in the Alberta boreal mixedwood: what do fifires burn?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Drever CR, Peterson G, Messier C, Bergeron Y, Flannigan M (2006) Can forest management based on natural disturbances maintain ecological resilience? Canadian Journal of Forest Research 36, 2285–2299.
| Can forest management based on natural disturbances maintain ecological resilience?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ecological Stratification Working Group (1996) National ecological framework for Canada. (Agriculture and Agric.-Food Canada, Research Branch, Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research and Environment Canada, State of Environment Directorate: Ottawa, ON)
Eidenshink J, Schwind B, Brewer K, Zhu Z, Quayle B, Howard S, Falls S, Falls S (2007) A project for monitoring trends in burn severity. Fire Ecology 3, 3–21.
| A project for monitoring trends in burn severity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Epting J, Verbyla D, Sorbel B (2005) Evaluation of remotely sensed indices for assessing burn severity in interior Alaska using Landsat TM and ETM+. Remote Sensing of Environment 96, 328–339.
| Evaluation of remotely sensed indices for assessing burn severity in interior Alaska using Landsat TM and ETM+.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fisher JT, Wilkinson L (2005) The response of mammals to forest fire and timber harvest in the North American boreal forest. Mammal Review 35, 51–81.
| The response of mammals to forest fire and timber harvest in the North American boreal forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
French NHF, Kasischke ES, Hall RJ, Murphy KA, Verbyla DL, Hoy EE, Allen JL (2008) Using Landsat data to assess fire and burn severity in the North American boreal forest region: an overview and summary of results. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 443–462.
| Using Landsat data to assess fire and burn severity in the North American boreal forest region: an overview and summary of results.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hall RJ, Freeburn JT, de Groot WJ, Pritchard JM, Lynham TJ, Landry R (2008) Remote sensing of burn severity: experience from western Canada boreal fires. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 476–489.
| Remote sensing of burn severity: experience from western Canada boreal fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunter MLH (1993) Natural fire regimes as spatial models for managing boreal forests. Biological Conservation 65, 115–120.
| Natural fire regimes as spatial models for managing boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnson EA, Miyanishi K, Weir JMH (1998) Wildfires in the western Canadian boreal forest: landscape patterns and ecosystem management. Journal of Vegetation Science 9, 603–610.
| Wildfires in the western Canadian boreal forest: landscape patterns and ecosystem management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnstone JF, Chapin F, Foote J, Kemmett S, Price K, Viereck L (2004) Decadal observations of tree regeneration following fire in boreal forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 34, 267–273.
| Decadal observations of tree regeneration following fire in boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kafka V, Gauthier S, Bergeron Y (2001) Fire impacts and crowning in the boreal forest: study of a large wildfire in western Quebec. International Journal of Wildland Fire 10, 119–127.
| Fire impacts and crowning in the boreal forest: study of a large wildfire in western Quebec.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kasischke ES, Johnstone JF (2005) Variation in post-fire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35, 2164–2177.
| Variation in post-fire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Key CH (2006) Ecological and sampling constraints on defining landscape fire severity. Fire Ecology 2, 34–59.
| Ecological and sampling constraints on defining landscape fire severity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Key CH, Benson NC (2006) Landscape assessment: ground measure of severity, the Composite Burn Index, and remote sensing of severity, the Normalized Burn Index. In ‘FIREMON: fire effects monitoring and inventory system’. (Eds DC Lutes, RE Keane, JF Caratti, CH Key, NC Benson, S Sutherland, LJ Gangi) USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-164-CD: LA1–51. (Ogden, UT)
Landres PB, Morgan P, Swanson FJ (1999) Overview of the use of natural variability concepts in managing ecological systems. Ecological Applications 9, 1179–1188.
| Overview of the use of natural variability concepts in managing ecological systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Leduc A, Bergeron Y, Gauthier S (2007) Relationships between prefire composition, fire impact, and post-fire legacies in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. In ‘The fire environment: innovations, management, and policy’. (Eds BW Butler, W Cook) USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-p-46CD, pp. 187–193. (Fort Collins, CO)
Lentile LB, Holden ZA, Smith AMS, Falkowski MJ, Hudak AT, Morgan P, Lewis SA, Gessler PE, Benson NC (2006) Remote sensing techniques to assess active fire characteristics and post-fire effects. International Journal of Wildland Fire 15, 319–345.
| Remote sensing techniques to assess active fire characteristics and post-fire effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lentile LB, Smith AMS, Hudak AT, Morgan P, Bobbitt MJ, Lewis SA, Robichaud PR (2009) Remote sensing for prediction of 1-year post-fire ecosystem condition. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 594–608.
| Remote sensing for prediction of 1-year post-fire ecosystem condition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Loehman RA, Reinhardt E, Riley KL (2014) Wildland fire emissions, carbon, and climate: seeing the forest and the trees – A cross-scale assessment of wildfire and carbon dynamics in fire-prone, forested ecosystems. Forest Ecology and Management 317, 9–19.
| Wildland fire emissions, carbon, and climate: seeing the forest and the trees – A cross-scale assessment of wildfire and carbon dynamics in fire-prone, forested ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Miller JD, Thode AE (2007) Quantifying burn severity in a heterogeneous landscape with a relative version of the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). Remote Sensing of Environment 109, 66–80.
| Quantifying burn severity in a heterogeneous landscape with a relative version of the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Miller JD, Yool SR (2002) Mapping forest post-fire canopy consumption in several overstory types using multitemporal Landsat TM and ETM data. Remote Sensing of Environment 82, 481–496.
| Mapping forest post-fire canopy consumption in several overstory types using multitemporal Landsat TM and ETM data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Morgan P, Hardy CC, Swetnam TW, Rollins M, Long D (2001) Mapping fire regimes across time and space: understanding coarse and fine-scale fire patterns. International Journal of Wildland Fire 10, 329–342.
| Mapping fire regimes across time and space: understanding coarse and fine-scale fire patterns.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nowak S, Kershaw GP, Kershaw LJ (2002) Plant diversity and cover after wildfire on anthropogenically disturbed and undisturbed sites in Subarctic upland Picea mariana forest. Arctic 55, 269–280.
| Plant diversity and cover after wildfire on anthropogenically disturbed and undisturbed sites in Subarctic upland Picea mariana forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Oliver CD, Larson BC (1996) ‘Forest stand dynamics’, update edn. (McGraw-Hill: New York)
Perera AH, Buse LJ, Routledge RG (2007) A review of published knowledge on post-fire residuals relevant to Ontario’s policy directions for emulating natural disturbance. Ontario Forest Research Institute, Forest Research Information Paper No. 168 (Sault Ste Marie, ON)
Pickell P, Andison D, Coops N (2013) Characterizations of anthropogenic disturbance patterns in the mixedwood boreal forest of Alberta, Canada. Forest Ecology and Management 304, 243–253.
| Characterizations of anthropogenic disturbance patterns in the mixedwood boreal forest of Alberta, Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rowe JS, Scootter GW (1973) Fire in the boreal forest. Quaternary Research 3, 444–464.
| Fire in the boreal forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Saskatchewan Forest Vegetation Inventory (SFVI) (2004) Forest planning manual, version 4.0. Forest Service Branch, Saskatchewan Environment. (Prince Albert, SK)
Smith MS, Lentile LB, Hudak T, Morgan P (2007) Evaluation of linear spectral unmixing and ΔNBR for predicting post‐fire recovery in a North American ponderosa pine forest. International Journal of Remote Sensing 28, 5159–5166.
| Evaluation of linear spectral unmixing and ΔNBR for predicting post‐fire recovery in a North American ponderosa pine forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Soverel NO, Perrakis DDB, Coops NC (2010) Estimating burn severity from Landsat dNBR and RdNBR indices across western Canada. Remote Sensing of Environment 114, 1896–1909.
| Estimating burn severity from Landsat dNBR and RdNBR indices across western Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Soverel NO, Coops NC, Perrakis DDB, Daniels LD, Gergel SE (2011) The transferability of a dNBR-derived model to predict burn severity across 10 wildland fires in western Canada. International Journal of Wildland Fire 20, 518–531.
| The transferability of a dNBR-derived model to predict burn severity across 10 wildland fires in western Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stocks BJ, Mason JA, Todd JB, Bosch EM, Wotton BM, Amiro BD, Flannigan MD, Hirsch KG, Logan KA, Martell DL, Skinner WR (2002) Large forest fires in Canada, 1959–1997. Journal of Geophysical Research 107, 8149
| Large forest fires in Canada, 1959–1997.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner MG, Romme WH (1994) Landscape dynamics in crown fire ecosystems. Landscape Ecology 9, 59–77.
| Landscape dynamics in crown fire ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weber MG, Flannigan MD (1997) Canadian boreal forest ecosystem structure and function in a changing climate: impact on fire regimes. Environmental Reviews 5, 145–166.
| Canadian boreal forest ecosystem structure and function in a changing climate: impact on fire regimes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXitVersLs%3D&md5=357750c3c6dd943347685cdc9ea8b49aCAS |
Wotton BM, Nock CA, Flannigan MD (2010) Forest fire occurrence and climate change in Canada. International Journal of Wildland Fire 19, 253–271.
| Forest fire occurrence and climate change in Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wu Z, Middleton B, Hetzler R, Vogel J, Dye D (2015) Vegetation burn severity mapping using Landsat-8 and WorldView-2. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 81, 143–154.
| Vegetation burn severity mapping using Landsat-8 and WorldView-2.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhu Z, Woodcock CE (2012) Object-based cloud and cloud shadow detection in Landsat imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment 118, 83–94.
| Object-based cloud and cloud shadow detection in Landsat imagery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhu Z, Woodcock CE, Olofsson P (2012) Continuous monitoring of forest disturbance using all available Landsat imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment 122, 75–91.
| Continuous monitoring of forest disturbance using all available Landsat imagery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
