Dissertation Research: Fire Frequency and Topoedaphic Controls of NPP in Tallgrass Prairie: Development and Tests of Remote Sensing Indices

康扎草原研究自然区成立于1999年。 1970年，使用复制的流域单元来研究 高草草原上的火灾频率。 Seastedt和Benning 建议利用这种长期火灾频率 网络指标回顾性分析试验 初级生产力（NPP），使用遥感和地理 信息系统程序。 他们将检验 1）火灾频率对遥感的影响是可测量的， 植被净第一性生产力指标; 2）地形影响 流域格局，3）生长季降水 介导火灾频率的影响。 这一努力的结果是 将与小地块研究相结合，以修改世纪 模型，以便准确预测火灾对NPP和土壤的影响 动力学 这项研究涉及的一个重要部分， 植被-大气相互作用，并与 探测全球变化对生物多样性影响的问题 流程. 这项研究的机构支持是 非常出色。

The Konza Prairie Research Natural Area was established in 1970 using replicated watershed units to study the effects of fire frequency on tallgrass prairie. Seastedt and Benning propose to take advantage of this long-term fire frequency experiment with a retrospective analysis of indices of net primary production (NPP) using remote sensing and Geographic Information System procedures. They will test the hypotheses that 1) fire frequency has measurable effects on remotely sensed indices of foliage NPP, 2) that topoedaphic effects influence watershed patterns, and 3) that growing season precipitation mediates fire frequency effects. The results from this effort will be combined with small plot studies to modify the CENTURY model so that it accurately predicts fire effects on NPP and soil dynamics. This research addresses an important part of vegetation - atmosphere interactions and is related to the problem of detecting effects of global change on biotic processes. The institutional support for this research is outstanding.