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A model shrub biomass accumulation as a tool to support management of portuguese forests
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Assessment of forest fuel loading is a prerequisite for most fire management
activities. However, the inclusion of shrub biomass in forest planning has been
hindered by the inability to predict its growth and accumulation. The main objective
of this study was to model shrub biomass over time under a tree canopy
with the aim of including shrub management in fire risk mitigation plans. To
this purpose, data was obtained from the 4th and 5th Portuguese National Forest
Inventories. Five biologically realistic models were built to describe shrub
biomass accumulation in Portuguese forests. The selected model indicates that
maximum biomass is affected by stand basal area and the percentage of resprouting
shrub species in the stand. Biomass growth rate was clearly affected
by the regeneration strategies of shrubs in combination with climatic conditions
(mean annual temperature). The model can be used in the accumulation
form for initialization purposes or in one of the two alternative difference
forms to project observed shrub biomass. The model proposed in this study facilitates
the inclusion of shrub biomass in forest growth simulations, and will
contribute to more accurate estimates of fire behavior characteristics and
stored carbon. This is essential to improve decision-making in forest management
plans that integrate fire risk, namely to schedule understory fuel treatments
Descrição
Research Article
Palavras-chave
shrub growth understory vegetation wildfire risk fire management forest planning decision making
Contexto Educativo
Citação
Botequim B, Zubizarreta-Gerendiain A, Garcia-Gonzalo J, Silva A, Marques S, Fernandes PM, Pereira JMC, Tomé M, 2015. A model of shrub biomass accumulation as a tool to support management of Portuguese forests. iForest 8: 114-125 [online 2014-07-27]