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Predicting Southern Appalachian overstory vegetation with digital terrain data

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Vegetation in mountainous regions responds to small-scale variation in terrain, largely due to effects on both temperature and soil moisture. However, there are few studies of quantitative, terrain-based methods for predicting vegetation composition. This study investigated relationships between forest composition, elevation, and a derived index of terrain shape, and evaluates methods for predicting forest composition. Trees were measured on 406 permanent plots within the boundaries of the Coweeta Hydrologic Lab, located in the Southern Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina, USA. All plots were in control watersheds, without human or major natural disturbance since 1923. Plots were 0.08 ha and arrayed on transects, with approximately 380 m between parallel transects. Breast-height diameters were measured on all trees. Elevation and terrain shape (cove, ridge, sideslope) were estimated for each plot. Density (trees/ha) and basal area were summarized by species and by forest type (cove, xeric oak-pine, northern hardwoods, and mixed deciduous). Plot data were combined with a digital elevation data (DEM), and a derived index of terrain shape at two sampling resolutions: 30 m (US Geological Survey), and 80 m (Defense Mapping Agency) sources. Vegetation maps were produced using each of four different methods: 1) linear regression with and without log transformations against elevation and terrain variables, combined with cartographic overlay; 2) kriging; 3) co-kriging; and 4) a mosaic diagram. Predicted vegetation was compared to known vegetation at each of 77 independent, withheld data points, and an error matrix was determined for each mapping method.

Citation

Bolstad, Paul V.; Swank, Wayne; Vose, James. 1998. Predicting Southern Appalachian overstory vegetation with digital terrain data. Landscape Ecology. 13: 271-283.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/441