Project

 

Historic Tree Mapping

 

Geostatistics

 

IKONOS-Based Juniper Extraction

 

GEOSTATISTICS

 

The identification of the spatial patterns of fuel load accumulation are critical to effective fire management regime, which reduce continuous fuel loads on the landscape capable of producing drastic and uncontrollable fires. Tree health and susceptibility to disease are related to variables that can have a spatial component (i.e. moisture, elevation). Therefore, methods that utilize the spatial relationship (spatial autocorrelation) of datasets are suitable for estimation of parameters such as health and fuel load. Geostatistics were used to interpolate surface maps of tree health and fuel load, using the fundamental assumption of geostatistics that observations close to one another are more similar then observations further apart.

 

Program window showing the parameters for geostatistical analysis

 

The main focus of the geostatistical interpolation was to highlight areas where trees with high fuel load or poor health were clustered in the sampled regions. A combined interpolation using fuel load and species health was also produced to help identify the most endangered historic trees. The interpolated surfaces should be interpreted as indicators of variable clustering, not a predictor of health or fuel load.

Dr. L. M. Moskal @ UW RSGAL @ UW Wilsons Creek National Battle Field

This project was funded by National Park Service through the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units (CESU)
© 2003 - 2011 Dr. L. M. Moskal - Last updated on 07.01.11 19:23