Effect of particle aging on chemical characteristics, smoldering, and fire behavior in mixed-conifer masticated fuel

摘要: Abstract Mastication is a silvicultural technique that grinds, shreds, or chops trees shrubs into pieces and redistributes the biomass onto forest floor to form layer of woody debris. Unlike other fuel treatments remove this biomass, masticated often remains on site, which increases total loading causes concern over how particles may burn if exposed prescribed fire wildfire. Central question these time since mastication affects decomposition wood comprising fuels. We conducted controlled laboratory experiments investigate changed chemically they were those chemical changes affected behavior characteristics. The objectives (1) quantify differences materials from different climates stages, (2) determine whether occurred similarly in all particles, (3) describe characteristics exhibited by Masticated came mixed-conifer forests at fifteen sites throughout Rocky Mountains. Paired stands similar vegetation stage. They represented wet dry climates, stages decomposition, variable piece sizes based type machine used masticate biomass. Time size rate particles. Fragmented had less heat value, N, C than intact same site. decreased N increased with treatment. In most cases, cellulose as occurred. Age tree species, climate, quantity load important factors influencing change smoldering experiments, age was not significant factor but soil substrate was. Soil surface temperatures tests differed significantly between sand duff, burns duff easily reached durations would kill plants, microbes, fauna severely affect ecology. When planning treatments, managers need consider only moisture fuels, air temperature, wind, also dryness soil, amount (time mastication) depths, loads, spatial distribution loads left masticator.