Download or read book Predicting Canopy Closure for Habitat Modeling written by Great Lakes Forestry Centre and published by Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. : Great Lakes Forestry Centre. This book was released on 1995 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes a project to develop quantitative models that could be used to estimate crown cover density of forest stands from available data in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Forest Resource Inventory information system. The investigators developed and tested models in two areas: the Algonquin Provincial Park and the Shining Tree Crown Management Unit in the Gogama District. The testing included the potential role of the Forest Resource Inventory working group and stand variables such as stocking, height, volume, site class, and age. The possible influences of geographic location and the photo interpreter who carried out the original Forest Resource Inventory classification were also analysed. The factors which provided the strongest estimates of crown cover density or which added to the predictive power of the model equations are noted.

Download or read book Using Forest Inventory and Analysis Data and the Forest Vegetation Simulator to Predict and Monitor Fisher Martes Pennanti Resting Habitat Suitability written by and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New knowledge from wildlife-habitat relationship models is often difficult to implement in a management context. This can occur because researchers do not always consider whether managers have access to information about environmental covariates that permit the models to be applied. Moreover, ecosystem management requires knowledge about the condition of habitats over large geographic regions, whereas most research projects have limited spatial inference. For example, research has revealed much about the habitat of fishers (Martes pennanti) at various research sites in California, yet this work has not been translated into practical tools that managers can use to monitor fisher habitat regionally, or to evaluate and mitigate the effects of proposed forest management on fisher habitat. This led us to create new habitat models that are intimately linked to agency approaches to forest monitoring and software tools used by forest managers to plan timber harvests and vegetation management. We created habitat models that were integrated with these approaches and tools that forest managers use for two purposes: to inventory forest resources (i.e., Forest Inventory and Analysis [FIA] plots) and to simulate the response of stands to harvest, fire, insects, disease, and other disturbances (i.e., Forest Vegetation Simulator [FVS]). In this paper we provide an example of how to assess and monitor wildlife habitat using FIA vegetation monitoring protocols. We also provide an example of how to integrate an existing FIA-based model of fisher resting habitat into FVS, software that simulates the effect of alternative silvicultural treatments on vegetation data collected from field plots. Using these tools we produce quantitative predictions of the status of resting habitat quality for fishers, and describe how it can be monitored over time. We also provide an example of the effect of vegetation treatments on predicted fisher resting habitat, which illustrates a process that can be used to understand, reduce, or mitigate the effects of these activities on fisher habitat. This work on the fisher provides one example of how habitat assessments for wildlife could be advanced if they were developed with management applicability and implementation success as a goal.

Download or read book Forest Canopy Sturcture in Western Oregon written by Anne C. S. Fiala and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 670 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characterization of canopy structure, the horizontal and vertical distribution of the tree crowns in a forest, is important for the management of forests in the Pacific Northwest. The canopy is an important habitat element for many wildlife species, canopy structure affects understory development, and influences various natural processes, such as the intensity of propagation of wildfire. Thus, improving our understanding of canopy structures and trends can aid forest management. The overall goal of this study was to characterize vertical and horizontal canopy structure for multiple forest groups in western Oregon. The specific objectives were to: 1) characterize vertical and horizontal canopy structure for dominant forest types in western Oregon, 2) evaluate methods for measuring canopy cover and structure, 3) compare methods to predict forest canopy cover and vertical diversity using standard inventory measurements, and 4) predict bird species occurrence with different canopy diversity measures. I evaluated patterns of vertical and horizontal canopy structure and understory cover along a successional gradient using 934 forested plots in western Oregon. Observed data were from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program from the 1995-97 survey on private and non-federal public lands. Patterns were examined for wet-conifer, wet-hardwood, and dry-hardwood forests. The upper tree canopy layer contributed the most to total cover except in the dry-hardwood stands, where the vertical distribution of tree cover was more evenly distributed. However, mean canopy cover rarely exceeded 85%, even in productive young conifer forests. Shade-tolerant species rarely made up more than 20% of canopy cover, even in the lower canopy layers and in stands> 100 yrs old. Contrary to expectations, percent cover of understory shrubs and herbs was not substantially lower in young closed-canopy stands than in other stands. Ground-based measures of canopy cover on inventory plots were compared to predictions with regression models that regressed canopy cover on standard forest measurements, with estimates from aerial photography, and predictions with the forest vegetation simulator (FVS) program. Model predictions from inventory measurements were within 15% of measured cover for> 82% of the observations. Standard inventory estimates of cover using 1:40,000 scale aerial photos were poorly correlated with ground-measured cover, especially in wet-hardwood (r=0.58) and dry-hardwood (r0.61) stands. FVS tended to underestimate cover by up to 50% in wet-conifer and wet-hardwood stands. The aerial photos and FVS equations used in this study are not recommended as surrogates for ground-based measurements of cover. However, the level of accuracies of the predictive models developed in this study may be adequate for some purposes. I compared fourteen measures of vertical structural diversity and layering using the inventory plots. I then attempted to predict selected vertical diversity indices from standard forest variables. Simpson's diversity index on tree heights best differentiated among the range of vertical structure classes of the inventory plots. I developed predictive equations for Simpson's height diversity index (SDI), Foliage Height Diversity (FHD), and Canopy Height Diversity Index (CHDI), which used basal area, standard deviation of dbh, and stem frequency of size classes as the best variables. Predicted SDI values were within 0 15 units of calculated SDI for> 79% of the observations, predicted CHDI values were within 1.5 units for> 91% of the observations, except in the dry-hardwood stands (only 69%), and predicted FHD measures were within 0.2 units for> 85% of the observations among forest groups. The equations for FHD and SDI were applied to a wildlife-habitat database for western Oregon to determine if classification efficiency of existing models using CHDI to predict presence of bird species could be improved. The classification efficiency of bird-habitat association models improved for 33% and 66% of models for the Oregon Coast Range with the FHD and SDI variables, respectively. Models with FHD and SDI had improved classification efficiency for 18% of Cascade Range models. Although improvements in classification efficiency were less than six percentage points, future use of these diversity indices is warranted in place of CHDI when estimates of FHD and/or SDI are available and CHDI estimates are not. Four ground-based techniques for estimating forest overstory cover - line-intercept, spherical densiometer, moosehorn, and hemispherical photography - and estimates generated using FVS were compared across a range of stand structure types. Canopy cover estimates for the four ground-based methods were not correlated with structure type. Differences among estimates of cover using FVS and the other methods did depend on the forest structure type. Differences among ground-based methods were primarily related to differences in angle of view. Although the line-intercept had the narrowest angle of view, the moosehorn provided the most conservative estimates of overstory cover. Regression equations were derived to allow conversion among canopy cover estimates developed with the four ground-based methods. The FVS calculated cover should not be used as a substitute for ground-based measures in these forest types given that it was consistently much lower (up to 70%) than estimates from the ground-based methods within each forest-structure type. Overall, this study provides researchers and forest managers with new information and tools that can be applied across the forested landscape of Oregon. Models to predict canopy cover and diversity, and bird habitat can be substituted for field studies, assuming the accuracies of predictions are adequate for desired purposes. In field studies where ground-based cover measures are needed, the moosehorn is recommended as the most conservative estimator of cover. For more detailed canopy data, the line-intercept method is warranted. Modifying the line-intercept method to use fixed height intervals may be preferable to the use of three relative layers. This adjustment will allow for more direct comparisons of canopy cover of layers among stands.

Download or read book COVER written by Melinda Moeur and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The COVER extension to the Stand Prognosis Model predicts tree canopy closure, crown volume, crown profile area, and foliage biomass within vertical height classes, and the probability of occurrence, height, and cover of shrubs in forest stands. The model may be used to produce a descriptive summary of a stand at the time of inventory, or to project overstory and understory characteristics through time for natural and managed stands. This paper documents use of the COVER program, an adjunct to Version 5.0 of the Prognosis Model. Preparation of input, interpretation of output, program control, and model characteristics are described. Potential applications of COVER estimates to wildlife, hydrology, and insect pest modeling are presented.

Download or read book Standards for the Development of Habitat Suitability Index Models written by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Division of Ecological Services and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Tests of a Habitat Suitability Model for Black capped Chickadees written by Richard L. Schroeder and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 14 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Predictive Species and Habitat Modeling in Landscape Ecology written by C. Ashton Drew and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-11-25 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most projects in Landscape Ecology, at some point, define a species-habitat association. These models are inherently spatial, dealing with landscapes and their configurations. Whether coding behavioral rules for dispersal of simulated organisms through simulated landscapes, or designing the sampling extent of field surveys and experiments in real landscapes, landscape ecologists must make assumptions about how organisms experience and utilize the landscape. These convenient working postulates allow modelers to project the model in time and space, yet rarely are they explicitly considered. The early years of landscape ecology necessarily focused on the evolution of effective data sources, metrics, and statistical approaches that could truly capture the spatial and temporal patterns and processes of interest. Now that these tools are well established, we reflect on the ecological theories that underpin the assumptions commonly made during species distribution modeling and mapping. This is crucial for applying models to questions of global sustainability. Due to the inherent use of GIS for much of this kind of research, and as several authors’ research involves the production of multicolored map figures, there would be an 8-page color insert. Additional color figures could be made available through a digital archive, or by cost contributions of the chapter authors. Where applicable, would be relevant chapters’ GIS data and model code available through a digital archive. The practice of data and code sharing is becoming standard in GIS studies, is an inherent method of this book, and will serve to add additional research value to the book for both academic and practitioner audiences.

Download or read book Forest Bird Habitat Suitability Models and the Development of General Habitat Models written by Beatrice Van Horne and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Forest Canopies written by Margaret Lowman and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2004-09 with total page 543 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The treetops of the world's forests are where discovery and opportunity abound, however they have been relatively inaccessible until recently. This book represents an authoritative synthesis of data, anecdotes, case studies, observations, and recommendations from researchers and educators who have risked life and limb in their advocacy of the High Frontier. With innovative rope techniques, cranes, walkways, dirigibles, and towers, they finally gained access to the rich biodiversity that lives far above the forest floor and the emerging science of canopy ecology. In this new edition of Forest Canopies, nearly 60 scientists and educators from around the world look at the biodiversity, ecology, evolution, and conservation of forest canopy ecosystems. Comprehensive literature list State-of-the-art results and data sets from current field work Foremost scientists in the field of canopy ecology Expanded collaboration of researchers and international projects User-friendly format with sidebars and case studies Keywords and outlines for each chapter

Download or read book Ecological services manual written by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Division of Ecological Services and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This manual is provided for guidance and as a reference document for all U.S.F.W.S. Ecological Services personnel to use in carrying out assignments under the Land and Water Resource Development Planning, Biological Services, and Environmental Contaminant Evaluation Programs of the Habitat Perservation Category.

Download or read book Machine Learning for Ecology and Sustainable Natural Resource Management written by Grant Humphries and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-11-05 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecologists and natural resource managers are charged with making complex management decisions in the face of a rapidly changing environment resulting from climate change, energy development, urban sprawl, invasive species and globalization. Advances in Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, digitization, online data availability, historic legacy datasets, remote sensors and the ability to collect data on animal movements via satellite and GPS have given rise to large, highly complex datasets. These datasets could be utilized for making critical management decisions, but are often “messy” and difficult to interpret. Basic artificial intelligence algorithms (i.e., machine learning) are powerful tools that are shaping the world and must be taken advantage of in the life sciences. In ecology, machine learning algorithms are critical to helping resource managers synthesize information to better understand complex ecological systems. Machine Learning has a wide variety of powerful applications, with three general uses that are of particular interest to ecologists: (1) data exploration to gain system knowledge and generate new hypotheses, (2) predicting ecological patterns in space and time, and (3) pattern recognition for ecological sampling. Machine learning can be used to make predictive assessments even when relationships between variables are poorly understood. When traditional techniques fail to capture the relationship between variables, effective use of machine learning can unearth and capture previously unattainable insights into an ecosystem's complexity. Currently, many ecologists do not utilize machine learning as a part of the scientific process. This volume highlights how machine learning techniques can complement the traditional methodologies currently applied in this field.

Download or read book Percent Canopy Cover and Stand Structure Statistics from the Forest Vegetation Simulator written by Nicholas L. Crookston and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Phenological Research written by Irene L. Hudson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-11-24 with total page 525 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As climate change continues to dominate the international environmental agenda, phenology – the study of the timing of recurring biological events – has received increasing research attention, leading to an emerging consensus that phenology can be viewed as an ‘early warning system’ for climate change impact. A multidisciplinary science involving many branches of ecology, geography and remote sensing, phenology to date has lacked a coherent methodological text. This new synthesis, including contributions from many of the world’s leading phenologists, therefore fills a critical gap in the current biological literature. Providing critiques of current methods, as well as detailing novel and emerging methodologies, the book, with its extensive suite of references, provides readers with an understanding of both the theoretical basis and the potential applications required to adopt and adapt new analytical and design methods. An invaluable source book for researchers and students in ecology and climate change science, the book also provides a useful reference for practitioners in a range of sectors, including human health, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and natural resource management.

Download or read book Research Paper RM written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Pebble Count Procedure for Assessing Watershed Cumulative Effects written by Gregory S. Bevenger and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Refinement of the Arc Habcap Model to Predict Habitat Effectiveness for Elk written by Lakhdar Benkobi and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wildlife habitat modeling is increasingly important for managers who need to assess the effects of land management activities. We evaluated the performance of a spatially explicit deterministic habitat model (Arc-Habcap) that predicts habitat effectiveness for elk. We used five years of radio-telemetry locations of elk from Custer State Park (CSP), South Dakota, to test predicted habitat effectiveness by the model. Arc-Habcap forage and cover forage proximity components predicted elk distribution in CSP. However, the cover component failed to predict elk distribution in CSP. Habitat effectiveness calculated as the geometric mean of the model components failed to predict elk distribution and resulted in under-utilization of habitats predicted to be good and over-utilization of habitats predicted to be poor. We developed a new formula to calculate habitat effectiveness as an arithmetic average of the model components that weighted forage more than cover or cover-forage proximity. The new formula predicted actual elk distribution across categories of habitat effectiveness. Elk selected cover and forage areas 100 m from cover-forage edges. Arc-Habcap predicted that areas adjacent to roads were not usable by elk. Elk used areas adjacent to primary roads, but use was less than the proportional area comprised for primary roads, and about equal to proportional area adjacent to secondary roads and primitive roads. All sapling/pole and mature structural stages of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were considered as both forage and cover by Arc-Habcap and consequently considered optimal in the cover-forage model component. We suggested revisions for both the cover-forage proximity component and areas adjacent to roads.

Download or read book Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium written by David G. Krementz and published by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. This book was released on 2019-12-03 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium held at the Ralph A. McMullan Center in Roscommon, Michigan on 24–27 October 2017