Decomposition rates for hand-piled fuels

Clinton Wright; Alexander M. Evans; Joseph Restaino

doi:10.2737/PNW-RN-574

Treesearch

Decomposition rates for hand-piled fuels

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Clinton Wright, Alexander M. Evans, Joseph Restaino

Year:

2017

Type:

Research Note

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/PNW-RN-574

Source:

Res. Note. PNW-RN-574. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 18 p.

Download (PDF 2.91 MB)

Download (PDF 2.91 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/53677.pdf

Abstract

Hand-constructed piles in eastern Washington and north-central New Mexico were weighed periodically between October 2011 and June 2015 to develop decay-rate constants that are useful for estimating the rate of piled biomass loss over time. Decay-rate constants (k) were determined by fitting negative exponential curves to time series of pile weight for each site. Piles at the Washington site (k = 0.027/year) decomposed significantly more slowly than piles at the New Mexico site (k = 0.064/year). Significant differences in k for each site may be a function of a between-site variation in pile composition (with or without large woody material), the environmental dissimilarities between sites (Mediterranean climate regime in Washington vs. monsoonal climate regime in New Mexico), or a combination of factors.

Keywords

hand piles, decay-rate constant, fractional mass loss, fuels management, Washington, New Mexico

Citation

Wright, Clinton S.; Evans, Alexander M.; Restaino, Joseph C. 2017. Decomposition rates for hand-piled fuels. Res. Note. PNW-RN-574. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 18 p.