Biomass Estimations of Invasives Yaupon, Chinese Privet and Chinese Tallow in East Texas Hardwood and Pine Ecosystems

Hung I,Conway Wc,Oswald Bp,Frantzen As,Tiller Mb

doi:10.4172/2168-9776.1000208

Abstract

Forest understory fuels can have profound effects on fire behavior and crown fire initiation. Accurate fire behavior prediction in understory fuels is an essential component for estimating fire intensity and severity during wildfire and prescribed fire events. This study focused on estimating temporal and seasonal changes in fuel loading parameters associated with the expansion of invasive yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) in East Texas pine and hardwood ecosystems. Fuel loading data of invasive species infested sites indicated significant increases in understory biomass when compared to 1988 estimates, suggesting a clear need to revise regional fuel models. Multiple and simple regression biomass prediction equations were developed for all three-invasive species to facilitate fuel load estimates. These improved prediction equations will enhance fire management efforts as well as invasive species mitigation efforts in east Texas.

Highlights

Forested ecosystems in East Texas have undergone significant temporal and spatial changes in plant community structure and composition, attributed to fire exclusion, altered fire regimes, land use changes, human-induced forest fragmentation, and changing forest management practices [1,2,3,4,5]
Increasing human development in suburban areas from nearby urban centers has added to the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) in suburban communities, presenting a greater risk for structure loss during wildfires [6,7]
Changes in current understory plant composition and structure via establishment of native and exotic invasive species presents inherent problems related to fire behavior prediction by potentially increasing understory biomass and ladder fuels [9,11,12,13], and regional understory fuel strata have not been updated in East Texas fuel models since 1988 [14]

Summary

Introduction

Forested ecosystems in East Texas have undergone significant temporal and spatial changes in plant community structure and composition, attributed to fire exclusion, altered fire regimes, land use changes, human-induced forest fragmentation, and changing forest management practices [1,2,3,4,5]. Changes in current understory plant composition and structure via establishment of native and exotic invasive species presents inherent problems related to fire behavior prediction by potentially increasing understory biomass and ladder fuels [9,11,12,13], and regional understory fuel strata have not been updated in East Texas fuel models since 1988 [14]. Assessing these fuel models presents many challenges due to dynamic changes in plant community structure and composition, driven by the above changes [1,2,3,4,15]. The combined effects of these human-related disturbances can further favor invasive species proliferation and persistence in forest understories

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion