Characteristics of masticated particles in mixed-conifer forests of the western United States: Moisture-loss tests

This data publication contains the results of three separate moisture tests on masticated fuels collected from mixed-conifer forests in 14 study locations. These data were collected from 2012 through 2016 as part of the MASTIDON project. The MASTIDON project was a four-year research project to study how masticated material differs when treated with different cutting machines and how the masticated particles decompose when left on the ground for multiple years. It investigated masticated materials in four states of the western United States. The project was funded by the Joint Fire Sciences Program (JFSP) and RMRS between 2013 and 2016. The masticated particles within this project were created by four different machines, including a vertical rotating head, horizontal drum, chipper, and mower. They had been decomposing in situ in wet and dry areas of Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, and South Dakota since their initial treatment. This portion of the study was designed to show how these materials absorb or lose water under three different conditions. This data publication includes the experimental results of tests conducted in (1) a temperature and humidity controlled environmental chamber; (2) outside under variable temperature and humidity conditions; and (3) in a temperature-controlled oven under laboratory conditions. The environmental chamber and outdoor tests were conducted on the entire range of fuel loads using 25 x 25 centimeter wire cages containing duff, 1 hour fuels, 10 hour fuels, 100 hour fuels, a variety of sizes of bark, and fresh litter materials. The oven tests were conducted on individual particles that were mostly 10 hour fuel-size class (i.e., between 7 millimeter and 2.54 centimeter in diameter). This publication also includes files describing the MASTIDON project and its goals.The purpose of the fuel-bed moisture tests was to explore the moisture drying curve for masticated fuel beds that contained different ages of masticated particles. The purpose of the individual particle tests was to determine how the different aged materials adsorbed/desorbed water under very controlled temperatures and humidities and how long it took for them to equilibrate to those conditions. The data were created to examine the drying characteristics of masticated beds and individual particles ranging from 2 to 10 years old.A short summary of this mastication project (MASTIDON) can be found in the full data publication download (\Supplements\Project_Overview_JFSP_Mastication 2012-2016.pdf). Information about the MASTIDON project can also be found here: https://www.firelab.org/project/mastidon. Original metadata dates was 08/03/2017. Minor metadata updates on 08/11/2017.本数据集出版物收录了14个研究样地采集自混交针叶林的经粉碎处理的林用燃料（masticated fuels）的三项独立含水率测试结果。这些数据采集于2012至2016年间，为MASTIDON项目的组成部分。MASTIDON项目是一项为期四年的研究项目，旨在探究不同粉碎设备处理得到的粉碎物料的特性差异，以及粉碎颗粒在露天放置多年过程中的分解规律。该项目在美国西部四个州开展了粉碎物料的相关研究，于2013至2016年间由联合火灾科学项目（Joint Fire Sciences Program, JFSP）与RMRS资助。本项目中的粉碎颗粒由四类不同设备制备，包括立式旋转机头、卧式滚筒、削片机与割草机。自初始处理完成后，这些颗粒就在爱达荷州、科罗拉多州、新墨西哥州与南达科他州的干湿样地中原位分解。本次研究部分旨在展示这些物料在三种不同环境条件下的吸水与失水规律。本数据集出版物包含三类测试的实验结果：(1) 温湿度可控环境试验箱内的测试；(2) 温湿度可变的户外环境测试；(3) 实验室控温烘箱内的测试。环境试验箱与户外测试采用25×25厘米的金属网笼装载全范围燃料载量样品，样品包括腐殖质层（duff）、1小时级燃料、10小时级燃料、100小时级燃料、多种规格的树皮以及新鲜枯落物。烘箱测试则针对直径介于7毫米至2.54厘米之间的10小时燃料级别的单颗粒物料开展。本出版物还包含介绍MASTIDON项目及其研究目标的相关文件。燃料床含水率测试的目的是探究包含不同陈化时长粉碎颗粒的燃料床的干燥含水率曲线；单颗粒测试的目的则是测定不同陈化时长的物料在严格可控的温湿度条件下的吸附/解吸水分规律，以及物料达到该环境湿度平衡所需的时长。本数据集旨在考察陈化2至10年的粉碎物料床与单颗粒的干燥特性。本粉碎项目（MASTIDON）的简短概述可在完整数据集出版物的下载文件（SupplementsProject_Overview_JFSP_Mastication 2012-2016.pdf）中获取。有关MASTIDON项目的更多信息可访问：https://www.firelab.org/project/mastidon。原始元数据日期为2017年8月3日，2017年8月11日进行了小幅元数据更新。