Spatial pattern analysis of pre- and post-hurricane forest canopy structure in North Carolina, USA

    Authors

    J. C. Boutet;J. F. Weishampel

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Landsc. Ecol.

    Keywords

    autocorrelation; canopy topography; disturbance; Fractal dimension; hurricane; laser altimetry; remote sensing; duke forest; forest; landscape; ecosystem organisation; CATASTROPHIC WIND; RAIN-FOREST; PUERTO-RICO; BASAL AREA; GAP MODEL; LANDSCAPE; LIGHT; TEMPERATE; BIOMASS; LIDAR; Ecology; Geography, Physical; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

    Abstract

    Existing spatial patterns of a forest are in part a product of its disturbance history. Using laser altimetry and field measures of canopy top height to represent pre- and post-hurricane canopy topography, respectively, we measured changes in spatial patterns of stand structure of a United States southern mixed coniferous-deciduous forest. Autocorrelative and fractal properties were measured in this opportunistic study to quantify changes in canopy architecture along twelve, 190-250 m transects that were subjected to moderate to high levels of wind disturbance. Prior to the hurricane, canopy heights were autocorrelated at scales < 40 m with an average fractal dimension of 1.71. After the disturbance, autocorrelation disappeared; the average fractal dimension rose to 1.94. This shift towards spatial randomness illustrates part of the cyclical nature of ecosystem development. It shows how a catastrophic collapse of biomass accumulation corresponds to a decrease in ecosystem organization across a landscape.

    Journal Title

    Landscape Ecology

    Volume

    18

    Issue/Number

    6

    Publication Date

    1-1-2003

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    553

    Last Page

    559

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000185827300001

    ISSN

    0921-2973

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