The fuel complex variables canopy bulk density and canopy base height are often used to predict crown fire initiation and spread. Direct measurement of these variables is impractical, and they are usually estimated indirectly by modelling. Recent advances in predicting crown fire behaviour require accurate estimates of the complete vertical distribution of canopy fuels. The objectives of the pr...

Gap characteristics and effects of gaps on plasticity of Fargesia qinlingensis and tree regeneration were studied under canopy, and in small, medium, and large gaps in a mixed hardwood-conifer forest in the Qinling Mountains, China. Gap formation was mainly tree snapping (40%). Gapmakers were dominated by Betula albosinensis and Abies fargesii (85%). Gap area ranged from 23.8 to 594.2 m and ave...

Fire researchers and managers need accurate, reliable, and efficiently-obtained data for the development and application of crown fire behavior models. In particular, reliable estimates of critical canopy structure characteristics, including canopy bulk density, canopy height, canopy base height, and canopy fuel weight are required to accurately map fuel loading and model fire behavior over the...

The primary role of a crop canopy is to capture sunlight that can be converted to biomass, including sucrose stored in stalks. Canopy development also has a bearing on the amount of water used by the crop and how soon weeds are shaded out. Cultivars are known to differ in the rate of canopy closure in the field, and also differ in traits that determine canopy development, such as leaf size and ...

The soil or background spectra contribution to grass canopy spectral reflectance for the 0.35 to 0.80 fJ-m region was investigated using in situ collected spectral reflectance data. Regression analysis was used to estimate accurately the unexposed soil spectral reflectance and to quantify maxima and minima for soil-green vegetation reflection contrasts. generally be impractical to take detailed...

The aim of this study was to assess the regional effects of fire on the surface cover and forage production of mountainous rangelands of Delfan County, Lorestan province, Iran. The fire took placed in June 2007 with significant effects on the vegetation characteristics in the study area. Four fire affected sites were selected for sampling and a close area without fire was considered as control....