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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Coupling Biophysical Complexity And Forest Metabolism In A Floodplain Landscape, Peter Davis
Coupling Biophysical Complexity And Forest Metabolism In A Floodplain Landscape, Peter Davis
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Floodplains are biophysically complex systems that are considered among the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. Until recently, quantitative assessment of the relationship between complexity and terrestrial production has been constrained by technological limitation. To address how floodplain biophysical complexity and ecosystem function are related, I employed remote sensing, GIS, and spatial analyses to quantify and couple metrics of complexity and terrestrial production, as well as explore the relationship among complexity, vegetation structural diversity, and terrestrial primary productivity. The study site is a 6.75-km by 1.75-km portion of the Bitterroot River floodplain near Carlton, MT upon which 551 sample …
Spatial Patterns And Physical Factors Of Smokejumper Utilization Since 2004, Tyson A. Atkinson
Spatial Patterns And Physical Factors Of Smokejumper Utilization Since 2004, Tyson A. Atkinson
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
This research examines patterns of aerial smokejumper usage in the United States. I assess landscape and environmental factors of their deployment using a detailed nine-year record of smokejumper activity in combination with terrain, fuels, and transportation network data. Specifically, the research seeks to identify commonalities in location (proximity), terrain, fuels, fire occurrence, and accessibility of smokejumper actions that inform current usage and identify opportunities for improved utilization. Terrain parameters (steep, rugged, inaccessible) of the western U.S. were classified and a baseline travel time grid was created (30 meter resolution). Fires in which smokejumpers responded were compared with all fires that …