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Fuel Dynamics Across Southern Appalachian Landscapes, Horace Gambrell

All Theses

Although there have been several individual studies measuring hardwood fuels, across the central Hardwood Region and southern Appalachian Mountains, little is known of how hardwood fuels are distributed across the landscape. Understanding this distribution is essential for fire management planning. Previous studies suggest that the decay rate of litter and fine woody fuel is greater on mesic sites as compared to dryer sites. In the southern Appalachian Mountains, northeast facing slopes and protected bottoms are generally the more mesic sites, while southwest facing slopes and exposed ridge tops receive sunlight for longer periods and should be more xeric.
The objectives …