TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparing selected fire regime condition class (FRCC) and LANDFIRE vegetation model results with tree-ring data
AU - Swetnam, Tyson L.
AU - Brown, Peter M.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) has been developed as a nationally consistent interagency method in the US to assess degree of departure between historical and current fire regimes and vegetation structural conditions across differing vegetation types. Historical and existing vegetation map data also are being developed for the nationwide LANDFIRE project to aid in FRCC assessments. Here, we compare selected FRCC and LANDFIRE vegetation characteristics derived from simulation modeling with similar characteristics reconstructed from tree-ring data collected from 11 forested sites in Utah. Reconstructed reference conditions based on trees present in 1880 compared with reference conditions modeled by the Vegetation Dynamics Development Tool for individual Biophysical Settings (BpS) used in FRCC and LANDFIRE assessments showed significance relationships for ponderosa pine, aspen, and mixed-conifer BpS but not for sprucefir, pionjuniper, or lodgepole pine BpS. LANDFIRE map data were found to be ∼58% accurate for BpS and ∼60% accurate for existing vegetation types. Results suggest that limited sampling of age-to-size relationships by different species may be needed to help refine reference condition definitions used in FRCC assessments, and that more empirical data are needed to better parameterize FRCC vegetation models in especially low-frequency fire types.
AB - Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) has been developed as a nationally consistent interagency method in the US to assess degree of departure between historical and current fire regimes and vegetation structural conditions across differing vegetation types. Historical and existing vegetation map data also are being developed for the nationwide LANDFIRE project to aid in FRCC assessments. Here, we compare selected FRCC and LANDFIRE vegetation characteristics derived from simulation modeling with similar characteristics reconstructed from tree-ring data collected from 11 forested sites in Utah. Reconstructed reference conditions based on trees present in 1880 compared with reference conditions modeled by the Vegetation Dynamics Development Tool for individual Biophysical Settings (BpS) used in FRCC and LANDFIRE assessments showed significance relationships for ponderosa pine, aspen, and mixed-conifer BpS but not for sprucefir, pionjuniper, or lodgepole pine BpS. LANDFIRE map data were found to be ∼58% accurate for BpS and ∼60% accurate for existing vegetation types. Results suggest that limited sampling of age-to-size relationships by different species may be needed to help refine reference condition definitions used in FRCC assessments, and that more empirical data are needed to better parameterize FRCC vegetation models in especially low-frequency fire types.
KW - reference conditions
KW - successional classes
KW - Vegetation Dynamics Development Tool (VDDT)
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U2 - 10.1071/WF08001
DO - 10.1071/WF08001
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:79958016479
SN - 1049-8001
VL - 19
SP - 1
EP - 13
JO - International Journal of Wildland Fire
JF - International Journal of Wildland Fire
IS - 1
ER -