Descriptive Statistics of Tree Crown Condition in the Southern United States and Impacts on Data Analysis and Interpretation

Descriptive Statistics of Tree Crown Condition in the Southern United States and Impacts on Data Analysis and Interpretation
Author: KaDonna C. Randolph
Publisher:
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2006
Genre: Forest canopies
ISBN:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) utilizes visual assessments of tree crown condition to monitor changes and trends in forest health. This report describes and discusses distributions of three FIA crown condition indicators (crown density, crown dieback, and foliage transparency) for trees in the Southern United States. Descriptive statistics are presented for all trees combined, by hardwood and softwood species groups, and for 53 individual species. Implications of these characteristics and other factors for the analysis of the phase 3 crown condition indicators are discussed.

California's Forest Resources, 2001-2005

California's Forest Resources, 2001-2005
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2008
Genre: Forest ecology
ISBN:

This report highlights key findings from the most recent (2001-2005) data collected by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program across all forest land in California. We summarize and interpret basic resource information such as forest area, ownership, volume, biomass, and carbon stocks; structure and function topics such as biodiversity, forest age, dead wood, and hardwood forests; disturbance topics such as insects and diseases, fire, invasive plants, and air pollution; and information about the forest products industry in California, including data on tree growth and mortality, removals for timber products, and nontimber forest products. The appendixes describe inventory methods in detail and provide summary tables of data, with statistical error, about the suite of forest characteristics inventoried.

Oregon's Forest Resources, 2001-2005

Oregon's Forest Resources, 2001-2005
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2008
Genre: Forest ecology
ISBN:

This report highlights key findings from the most recent (2001-2005) data collected by the Pacific Northwest Forest Inventory and Analysis (PNW-FIA) Program across all ownerships in Oregon. We present basic resource information such as forest area, land use change, ownership, volume, biomass, and carbon sequestration; structure and function topics such as biodiversity, older forests, dead wood, and riparian forests; disturbance topics such as insects and diseases, fire, invasive plants, and air pollution; and information about the forest products industry in Oregon, including data on tree growth and mortality, removals for timber products, and nontimber forest products. The appendices describe inventory methods and design in detail and provide summary tables of data, with statistical error, for the suite of forest characteristics sampled.

Crown-condition Classification

Crown-condition Classification
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 92
Release: 2007
Genre: Forest canopies
ISBN:

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, conducts a national inventory of forests across the United States. A systematic subset of permanent inventory plots in 38 States is currently sampled every year for numerous forest health indicators. One of these indicators, crown-condition classification, is designed to estimate tree crown dimensions and assess the impact of crown stressors. The indicator features eight tree-level field measurements in addition to variables traditionally measured in conjunction with FIA inventories: vigor class, uncompacted live crown ratio, crown light exposure, crown position, crown density, crown dieback, foliage transparency, and crown diameter. Indicators of crown health derived from the crown data are intended for analyses at the State, regional, and national levels, and contribute to the core tabular output in standard FIA reports. Crown-condition measurements were originally implemented as part of the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program in 1990. Except for crown diameter, these measurements were continued when the FIA Program assumed responsibility for FHM plot-based detection monitoring in 2000. This report describes in detail the data collection and analytical techniques recommended for crown-condition classification.