Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2004. / Title from title page screen (viewed Sept. 20, 2004). Thesis advisor: Wayne K. Clatterbuck. Document formatted into pages (xiii, 174 p. : ill.). Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-152).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Aberdeen University, 2008. / Title from web page (viewed on July 20, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Canterbury, 2009. / Typescript (photocopy). "May 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-115). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2006. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-136). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 25-27). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Management and restoration of black oak dominated sand savannas often rely on historic vegetative descriptions (settler accounts, surveyor notes, aerial photographs). It is commonly assumed that fire alone maintains savanna structure and composition, however little information is known about the specific fire frequency needed to maintain these systems. The objective of this study was to quantify and correlate characteristics of stand structure with fire history of the Kankakee Sands savannas in northeastern Illinois. Fire history chronologies were determined through dendrochronological methods from 289 dated fire scars identified on 58 black oak (Quercus velutina) trees located throughout four wooded sites. Tree and woody structure was characterized in 30 circular plots (0.04 hectares) in three sites and 26 circular plots in one site that were placed at 25-meter intervals along randomly established permanent line transects in the summer of 2007. The structure analysis consisted of the development of tree age-size relationships among presently dominant and suppressed trees in relation to fire history. Variations in tree and woody structure were strongly related to fire dynamics among the four study sites. Specifically, components such as tree density (n = 114; r = 0.46; P < 0.0001), basal area (n = 114; r = 0.35; P < 0.0001), and total woody stem density (n = 114; r = 0.42; P < 0.0001) all increased as a function of fire-free interval. In addition, sites with shorter fire-free intervals were associated with a higher percentage of hollow tree boles (n = 104 r = -0.31 P < 0.0015) and visible fire scar wounds (n = 104 r = -0.43334 P < 0.0001). While the results of this study suggest fire had a significant role in structuring these four wooded sites, the data also indicated other historic disturbances coupled with individual site characteristics may be integral components in structuring these dynamic systems. For instance, fire-free intervals less than two years maintained conditions of openness, as was referenced to 1939 historic aerial photographs, but eliminated potential future canopy trees. Under these conditions, a dramatic shift in community structure toward prairie vegetation is likely, as no smaller trees were present to assume canopy dominance. Fire-free intervals greater than two years were associated with transition to closed canopy forests. Therefore, management considerations pertaining to fire with the addition of other historic disturbances, including grazing and or selective cutting, are proposed to balance historic canopy openness and promote regeneration of characteristic savanna species.

The canopy cover of the Pinus contorta forests of west-central Alberta, dictates colonization of the forest floor ground layer. This dynamic ground layer is a mosaic of feather mosses and reindeer lichens in a system driven by disturbance. In this project, anthropogenic was used to control canopy cover change and study its effects on the ground layer. Timber companies selectively mechanically thinned sections producing three experimental areas with uncut controls. Data were collected from 182, 6.5 m2 plots located in the four thinning areas. Six general areas of inquiry were posed around determining ground layer responses to canopy opening: 1) vegetation, 2) plant species richness, 3) plant abundance, 4) diaspore availability, 5) environmental limiting factors, 6) moss and lichen establishment. In 1997, three timber companies were involved in selective tree removal at three different stand percentages (20/40/60%), however, these were not consistent when measured in 2005. This variation in operational logging along with changes over the seven year time period, resulted in strong disparity for each of the thinning regimes. Percent canopy cover change for all thinned plots was ranked and three new groups created; least, moderate, most canopy change. These new groups formed the basis for the data presented in Chapter 3. The three thinning groups had little to no effect on species richness, but overall showed a small decrease from measurements taken pre-harvest. Numbers of locally rare species were similar to pre-harvest levels, but there were some gains and losses of species between pre-harvest and seven years post-harvest. In contrast to the lack of change in diversity, the abundance of dominant species and major vegetation components underwent dramatic changes. Dominant species of both vascular plants and bryophytes decreased with increasing canopy openness, with vascular plants being gradually affected while mosses were more affected at less intense canopy opening. Abundances of lichens showed no change. When measuring limiting factors (biotic and abiotic) for ground layer mosses and lichens, diaspores (spores and fragments) were plentiful in all stands, but differed in abundance at the micro-scale. The position of feather mosses and reindeer lichen in the forest floor mosaic appears to be due to an intermingling of environmental influences (at both the meso- and micro-scale). With less environmental constraints on lichens and the widespread availability of lichen fragments, lichens are more tolerant to the conditions evoked by thinning than are mosses. Mosses are more restricted by environmental conditions and have more constrained diaspore dispersal than lichens. Thus, mosses are more limited both by diaspore dispersal and by harsh environmental conditions in open canopy habitats. Whereas relative humidity (RH) did not differ at the stand level, moss dominated areas had higher RH no matter where they occurred, lichen-dominated areas did not--suggesting the moss occurrence is at least partially controlled by micro-scale level factors. Moss establishment is effected by the "ghosts" of past events and substrates. Mosses are widespread in formerly moss-dominated areas that contain organic substrates and high canopy cover. Lichen establishment is limited in previously moss-dominated areas. Species interactions weighed more heavily on moss establishment than on that of lichens. Therefore, the effects of canopy change on the ground layer are variable corresponding to moss decreases, but not lichens. Seven years post-harvest species diversity is unchanged, but vegetation, as a whole, has been affected.

Le défi de cette thèse est de reconstruire la géométrie 3D de la végétation à partir des données de distance et d'intensité fournies par un scanner de type LiDAR. Une méthode de « shape-from-shading » par propagation est développée pour être combinée avec une méthode de fusion de données type filtre de Kalman pour la reconstruction optimale des surfaces foliaires.-Introduction-L'analyse des données LiDAR nous permet de dire que la qualité du nuage de point est variable en fonction de la configuration de la mesure : lorsque le LiDAR mesure le bord d'une surface ou une surface fortement inclinée, il intègre dans sa mesure une partie de l'arrière plan. Ces configurations de mesures produisent des points aberrants. On retrouve souvent ce type de configuration pour la mesure de feuillages puisque ces derniers ont des géométries fragmentées et variables. Les scans sont en général de mauvaise qualité et la quantité d'objets présents dans le scan rend la suppression manuelle des points aberrants fastidieuse. L'objectif de cette thèse est de développer une méthodologie permettant d'intégrer les données d'intensité LiDAR aux distances pour corriger automatiquement ces points aberrants. -Shape-From-Shading-Le principe du Shape-From-Shading (SFS) est de retrouver les valeurs de distance à partir des intensités d'un objet pris en photo. La caméra (capteur LiDAR) et la source de lumière (laser LiDAR) ont la même direction et sont placés à l'infini relativement à la surface, ce qui rend l'effet de la distance sur l'intensité négligeable et l'hypothèse d'une caméra orthographique valide. En outre, la relation entre angle d'incidence lumière/surface et intensité est connue. Par la nature des données LiDAR, nous pourrons choisir la meilleure donnée entre distance et intensité à utiliser pour la reconstruction des surfaces foliaires. Nous mettons en place un algorithme de SFS par propagation le long des régions iso-intenses pour pouvoir intégrer la correction de la distance grâce à l'intensité via un filtre de type Kalman. -Design mathématique de la méthode-Les morceaux de surface correspondant aux régions iso-intenses sont des morceaux de surfaces dites d'égales pentes, ou de tas de sable. Nous allons utiliser ce type de surface pour reconstruire la géométrie 3D correspondant aux images d'intensité.Nous démontrons qu'à partir de la connaissance de la 3D d'un bord d'une région iso-intense, nous pouvons retrouver des surfaces paramétriques correspondant à la région iso-intense qui correspondent aux surfaces de tas de sable. L'initialisation de la région iso-intense initiale (graine de propagation) se fait grâce aux données de distance LiDAR. Les lignes de plus grandes pentes de ces surfaces sont générées. Par propagation de ces lignes (et donc génération du morceau de la surface en tas de sable), nous déterminons l'autre bord de la région iso-intense. Puis, par itération, nous propagerons la reconstruction de la surface. -Filtre de Kalman-Nous pouvons considérer cette propagation des lignes de plus grande pente comme étant le calcul d'une trajectoire sur la surface à reconstruire. Dans le cadre de notre étude, la donnée de distance est toujours disponible (données du scanner 3D). Ainsi il est possible de choisir, lors de la propagation, quelle donnée (distance ou intensité) utiliser pour la reconstruction. Ceci peut être fait notamment grâce à une fusion de type Kalman. -Algorithme-Pour procéder à la reconstruction par propagation, il est nécessaire d'hiérarchiser les domaines iso-intenses de l'image. Une fois que les graines de propagation sont repérées, elles sont initialisées avec l'image des distances. Enfin, pour chacun des nœuds de la hiérarchie (représentant un domaine iso-intense), la reconstruction d'un tas de sable est faite. C'est lors de cette dernière étape qu'une fusion de type Kalman peut être introduite. / The challenge of this thesis is reconstruct the 3D geometry of vegetation from distance and intensity data provided by a 3D scanner LiDAR. A method of “Shape-From-Shading” by propagation is developed to be combined with a fusion method of type “Kalman” to get an optimal reconstruction of the leaves. -Introduction-The LiDAR data analysis shows that the point cloud quality is variable. This quality depends upon the measurement set up. When the LiDAR laser beam reaches the edge of a surface (or a steeply inclined surface), it also integrate background measurement. Those set up produce outliers. This kind of set up is common for foliage measurement as foliages have in general fragmented and complex shape. LiDAR data are of bad quality and the quantity of leaves in a scan makes the correction of outliers fastidious. This thesis goal is to develop a methodology to allow us to integrate the LiDAR intensity data to the distance to make an automatic correction of those outliers. -Shape-from-shading-The Shape-from-shading principle is to reconstruct the distance values from intensities of a photographed object. The camera (LiDAR sensor) and the light source (LiDAR laser) have the same direction and are placed at infinity relatively to the surface. This makes the distance effect on intensity negligible and the hypothesis of an orthographic camera valid. In addition, the relationship between the incident angle light beam and intensity is known. Thanks to the LiDAR data analysis, we are able to choose the best data between distance and intensity in the scope of leaves reconstruction. An algorithm of propagation SFS along iso-intense regions is developed. This type of algorithm allows us to integrate a fusion method of type Kalman. -Mathematical design of the method-The patches of the surface corresponding to the iso-intense regions are patches of surfaces called the constant slope surfaces, or sand-pile surfaces. We are going to use those surfaces to rebuild the 3D geometry corresponding to the scanned surfaces. We show that from the knowledge of the 3d of an iso-intensity region, we can construct those sand-pile surfaces. The initialization of the first iso-intense regions contour (propagation seeds) is done with the 3D LiDAR data. The greatest slope lines of those surfaces are generated. Thanks to the propagation of those lines (and thus of the corresponding sand-pile surface), we build the other contour of the iso-intense region. Then, we propagate the reconstruction iteratively. -Kalman filter-We can consider this propagation as being the computation of a trajectory on the reconstructed surface. In our study framework, the distance data is always available (3D scanner data). It is thus possible to choose which data (intensity vs distance) is the best to reconstruct the object surface. This can be done with a fusion of type Kalman filter. -Algorithm-To proceed a reconstruction by propagation, it is necessary to order the iso-intensity regions. Once the propagation seeds are found, they are initialized with the distances provided by the LiDAR. For each nodes of the hierarchy (corresponding to an iso-intensity region), the sand-pile surface reconstruction is done. -Manuscript-The thesis manuscript gathers five chapters. First, we give a short description of the LiDAR technology and an overview of the traditional 3D surface reconstruction from point cloud. Then we make a state-of-art of the shape-from –shading methods. LiDAR intensity is studied in a third chapter to define the strategy of distance effect correction and to set up the incidence angle vs intensity relationship. A fourth chapter gives the principal results of this thesis. It gathers the theoretical approach of the SFS algorithm developed in this thesis. We will provide its description and results when applied to synthetic images. Finally, a last chapter introduces results of leaves reconstruction.

O manguezal, definido como um ecossistema costeiro de transição entre os ambientes terrestres e marinhos caracteriza-se por ambiente salinizado e pela constante inundação causada por marés. Com destaque na área do Sistema Costeiro Cananéia Iguape, sua importância está relacionada à produção de biomassa, inserida no sistema bioenergético natural, aumentando a produtividade da zona costeira com a introdução de particulados orgânicos. Representam comunidades vegetais adaptadas a várias condicionantes físicas atuantes nas zonas costeiras, entre elas, as climáticas. Essa pesquisa objetivou analisar as variações dos atributos climáticos (temperatura do ar, umidade relativa do ar, radiação solar global, vento e pluviosidade) no manguezal, localizado na Barra do Ribeira- Iguape/SP, verificando se a variação existente está relacionada com as principais características da vegetação, mais especificamente pela presença de dossel no ambiente. Instalou-se uma torre microclimática contendo duas estações meteorológicas de forma a obter uma análise da variação dos atributos climáticos acima e abaixo do dossel de manguezal. Analisaram-se ainda as características estruturais do manguezal, visando comparar com os atributos climáticos. A presente pesquisa contribuiu para entender a variação dos atributos climáticos e sua influência na vegetação do manguezal. Verificou-se que, na escala de trabalho microclimática, os atributos do clima apresentam influência direta na distribuição espacial dessa vegetação. Além disso, as características do dossel é o principal controle para essa variação, principalmente na distribuição pluviométrica abaixo desse dossel, bem como na quantidade de radiação solar, que, consequentemente, influencia na distribuição das espécies vegetais do ambiente. / The mangrove is defined as a coastal ecosystem of transition between terrestrial and marine environments and is characterized by salinized environment and the constant flooding caused by tides. With emphasis in the area of coastal systems Cananéia - Iguape, its importance is more related to the production of biomass, inserted in the natural bioenergy system, that increases the productivity of the coastal zone with the introduction of organic particles. Represent plant communities adapted to different physical conditions in coastal areas, including the weather. This study aimed to analyze the changes of the attributes climate (air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind and rainfall) in the mangrove at the barra of Ribeira-Iguape/SP, checking if the variation is related to the main characteristics of vegetation, more specifically with the presence of the canopy at the environment. Was installed a tower containing two microclimatic weather stations to obtain an analysis of changes in climatic attributes above and below the canopy of mangrove. It was also analyzed the structural characteristics of mangrove, aiming to compare with the attributes climate. This research contributed to understanding the variation on the attributes of climate and its influence in the mangrove vegetation. It was found that, on the scale of work microclimatic, the attributes of climate have a direct influence on the spatial distribution of vegetation. Furthermore, the characteristics of the canopy are the main control for this variation, mainly in distribution of rainfall below the canopy and the amount of solar radiation, which consequently influences the distribution of plant species of the environment.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Geography / Douglas G. Goodin / In this research, proximal measurements of hyperspectral reflectance were used to develop models for estimating chlorophyll content in tallgrass prairie at leaf and canopy scales. Models were generated at the leaf scale and then extended to the canopy scale. Three chlorphyll estimation models were developed, one based on reflectance spectra and two derived from derivative transformations of the reflectance spectra. The triangle chlorophyll index (TCI) model was derived from the reflectance spectrum, whereas the first and second derivative indices (FDI and SDI) models were developed from the derivative transformed spectra. The three models were found to be well- correlated with the chlorophyll content measured with solvent extraction. The result indicated that the three models were effective for the leaf scale estimates of chlorophyll content. The three chlorophyll models developed at the leaf scale were further extended to the canopy scale and fine-scale images. The three models were found to be conditionally effective for estimating canopy chlorophyll content. The TCI model was more effective in dense vegetation, and the FDI and SDI models were better in sparser vegetation. This research suggests that the extension of chlorophyll models from the leaf scale to canopy scale is complex and affected not only by soil background, but also by canopy structure and components