Field litter thickness assessed by gamma-ray spectrometry

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 260; no. 10; pp. 1640 - 1645
• Main Authors: Aznar, J-.C., Paucar-Munoz, H., Richer-Laflèche, M., Bégin, Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15-10-2010; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Black spruce; boreal forests; Ecology; Emission analysis; estimation; experimental design; forest litter; Forestry; Forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gamma radiation; Gamma ray; kriging; Litter; Litter thickness; Management; mathematical models; measurement; measuring devices; Portability; precision; Québec; Spectrometers; Spectrometry; Spectroscopy; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; thickness; Quebec; Canada; North America; America; Canada, Quebec; Gamma ray; Litter thickness; Black spruce; Québec; Litter; Forest ecology; Dimension; Electromagnetic wave; Thickness; Field; Gamma radiation; Softwood forest tree; Gymnospermae; Forestry; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Picea mariana; Gamma spectrometry
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2010.07.022

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▶ Total gamma-ray emissions provide a covariable that is linearly related to litter thickness. This secondary information can be used to increase the precision of the estimations obtained from a cokriging process.
The relationship between forest litter thickness and gamma-ray emissions were investigated using portable field spectrometer measurements along two sites located within the boreal forest of Québec, Canada. Results show that total gamma-ray emissions provide a covariable that is linearly related to litter thickness. This secondary information can be used to increase the precision of the estimations obtained from a cokriging process. Thus, gamma-ray measurements can be incorporated into experimental designs to compensate for a scarcity of measurements.