Analysis of Mediterranean Vegetation Fuel Type Changes Using Multitemporal LiDAR

Increasing fire size and severity over the last few decades requires new techniques to accurately assess canopy fuel conditions change larger areas. This article presents an analysis on vegetation changes by mapping types (FT) based conditional rules according Prometheus classification system, which typifies vertical profile of cover for management ecological purposes. Using multi-temporal LiDAR from open-access Spanish national surveying program, we selected a 400 ha area interest, was surveyed in 2010 2016 with scan densities 0.5 2 pulses·m−2, respectively. FTs were determined distribution heights area, using grids cell 20 × m. To validate method, used stratified random sampling without replacement 15 cells per FT made independent visual assessment FT. The overall accuracy obtained 81.26% Kappa coefficient 0.73. In addition, relationships among different stand structures factors such as topographic aspect forest analyzed. Our algorithm revealed that stands lacking understory usually appeared shady slopes, mainly covered beech stands, whereas sunny areas preferentially oak where reached greater height thanks more light availability. during 6 year time span potentially hazardous transitions cleared forests towards continuum fuels, wildfire events would reach tree crowns, especially southern slopes higher sun exposure lower moistures increased flammability. Accurate methods characterize fuels can help direct activities priority hazard. Multi-date information indicated while some experienced growth shrub layer, others presented decrease. On other hand, loss frequently detected stands; thus, those place risk spread. approach developed low-density publicly available datasets measurements multi-return data be translated mapped standard type categories are familiar land managers.