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Vertical distribution of fuels in Pinus yunnanensis forest and related affecting factors.

WANG San, NIU Shu-kui, LI De, WANG Jing-hua, CHEN Feng, SUN Wu   

  1. (Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)
  • Online:2013-02-18 Published:2013-02-18

Abstract: In order to understand the effects of fuel loadings spatial distribution on forest fire kinds and behaviors, the canopy fuels and floor fuels of Pinups yunnanensis forests with different canopy density, diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, and stand age and at different altitude, slope grade, position, and aspect in Southwest China were taken as test objects, with the fuel loadings and their spatial distribution characteristics at different vertical layers compared and the fire behaviors in different stands analyzed. The relationships between the fuel loadings and the environmental factors were also analyzed by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). In different stands, there existed significant differences in the vertical distribution of fuels. Pinus yunnanensisoakSyzygium aromaticum, Pinus yunnanensisoak, and Pinus yunnanensis forests were likely to occur floor fire but not crown fire, while Pinus yunnanensisPlatycladus orientalis, Pinus yunnanensisKeteleeria fortune, and Keteleeria fortunePinus yunnanensis were not only inclined to occur floor fire, but also, the floor fire could be easily transformed into crown fire. The crown fuels were mainly affected by the stand age, altitude, DBH, and tree height, while the floor fuels were mainly by the canopy density, slope grade, altitude, and stand age.