Data product containing litterfall, decomposition, and leaf area index data for "Surface Fuel Litterfall and Decomposition in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA"

This data publication contains the collected field data for the following publication: "Surface Fuel Litterfall and Decomposition in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA" by Robert E. Keane (see Cross-Reference section in the metadata document). Data include 11 years of surface fuel litterfall and decomposition from 28 plots that represent a number of major forest types that span a wide range of biophysical environments in the northern Rocky Mountains. Litterfall was measured using semi-annual collections of fallen biomass sorted into six fuel components (fallen foliage, twigs, branches, large branches, logs, and all other material). Decomposition of fine fuels (foliage, twigs, branches and large branches) were measured and monitored for biomass loss for 3-6 years. Monthly leaf area index (LAI) as well as stand characteristics were measured for 28 plots across seven different sites in the northern Rocky Mountains.The study was specifically designed to quantify fuel dynamics parameters, for a number of forest types across the northern Rocky Mountains, for use in complex landscape models of fire and vegetation dynamics. This included the calculation of deposition rates for the surface fuel components, as well as percent mass loss and decomposition rate of fuel components. We also wanted to correlate decomposition rates and litterfall rates with stand and vegetation characteristics, and document any major changes in forest canopy as a function of leaf area index during the study. This study originated from two previous studies that explored the use of ecosystem modeling and gradient analysis to create digital maps of current and future landscape characteristics. See the Cross-Reference section for publications with more details.

Original metadata date was 9/15/2008. Metadata modified on 02/07/2011 to adjust citation to include the addition of a DOI (digital object identifier). Minor changes made to metadata on 02/07/2013 when this data publication became available through R&D Data Archive.

Minor metadata updates on 12/20/2016.

本数据出版物收录了以下出版物所收集的野外数据：‘美国北部落基山脉地表燃料落叶及分解’（Robert E. Keane 著，详见元数据文档中的交叉引用部分）。数据包括美国北部落基山脉28个样地11年的地表燃料落叶及分解情况，这些样地代表了多种主要的森林类型，横跨了广泛的生物物理环境。落叶通过每半年收集的掉落生物量，并按六种燃料成分（落叶、小枝、树枝、大树枝、圆木及其他所有材料）进行分类测量。对细燃料（落叶、小枝、树枝及大树枝）的分解过程进行了测量和监测，以评估3-6年的生物量损失。对北部落基山脉七个不同地点的28个样地，每月的叶面积指数（LAI）以及林分特征进行了测量。本研究旨在量化北部落基山脉多种森林类型的燃料动态参数，用于复杂景观模型中的火灾和植被动态模拟。这包括计算地表燃料成分的沉积速率、燃料成分的质量损失百分比和分解速率。此外，本研究还旨在将分解速率和落叶速率与林分和植被特征相关联，并记录在研究期间，叶面积指数作为森林冠层主要变化的功能。该研究源于两项先前的研究，这两项研究探讨了利用生态系统建模和梯度分析来创建当前和未来景观特征的数字地图的应用。详见交叉引用部分以获取更多详细信息的出版物。原始元数据日期为2008年9月15日。元数据于2011年2月7日修改，以调整引用以包括数字对象标识符（DOI）。在数据出版物通过研发数据档案提供时，于2013年2月7日对元数据进行了少量修改。元数据于2016年12月20日进行了少量更新。