Abstract/Details

Evaluation of mass seed crops in Picea engelmanni and Picea glauca using vegetation indices derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper data

Hesketh, Michael Sean.   Concordia University (Canada) ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2007. MR34751.

Abstract (summary)

Mass seeding is the intermittent and regionally synchronous production of large seed crops among conspecific populations. With conifers, the large female cones, concentrated preferentially in the upper crowns of trees, may occupy a sizable part of the upper canopy during a mass seed event. In this study, I evaluate the utility of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data for the detection of temporal and spatial trends in white (Picea glauca) and Engelmann spruce (P. engelmannii) mass cone production. Through analysis of vegetation indices (Vls) calculated from TM data along with estimates of cone crop size and stand basal area per area from sites in Kootenay National Park in British Columbia and the Abitibi region of Quebec, I came to three main conclusions. (1) The presence of a mass cone crop is readily detectable in analysis of the difference between the Vls from the mass seed year and the years previous and subsequent. (2) The incorporation of spruce basal area per area allows for accurate spatial modeling of this difference. (3) The direct correlation of the Vls to field cone production estimates may be possible, but will require further research before it yields satisfactory results.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Geography;
Environmental science;
Physical geography
Classification
0368: Physical geography
0768: Environmental science
0366: Geography
Identifier / keyword
Health and environmental sciences; Earth sciences
Title
Evaluation of mass seed crops in Picea engelmanni and Picea glauca using vegetation indices derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper data
Author
Hesketh, Michael Sean
Number of pages
83
Degree date
2007
School code
0228
Source
MAI 46/03M, Masters Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
ISBN
978-0-494-34751-5
University/institution
Concordia University (Canada)
University location
Canada -- Quebec, CA
Degree
M.Sc.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
MR34751
ProQuest document ID
304790381
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/304790381/abstract