Tree Mortality Analysis of Giant Sequoia Groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
Presentation Time: Tue, 08/10/2021 - 17:00
Keywords: Giant Sequoia Trees, Tree Mortality, Cluster Analysis, Hot Spot Analysis, Point Density, Remote Sensing, LIDAR, Wildfires, Climate Change.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is home to the giant sequoia tree, the largest trees in the world. Due to two decades of drought, sequoia trees in California have been dying at an alarming rate and it is only getting worse with rising temperatures. Dead and weak trees are susceptible to native bark beetles and as the drought continues to create more vulnerable trees, the bark beetle population has been increasing, causing more tree mortality. Fire is an important part to the life cycle of giant sequoia trees, and they have been known to survive through many fires throughout their existence. However, with an increase in forest fuel from the drought, rising temperatures causing drier tinder and many years of fire suppression, fires are getting unnaturally hotter and stronger, putting sequoia trees at risk. When scientists noticed dying foliage and canopy loss after many years of drought, the Leaf to Landscape Project was created through partnership with multiple federal agencies and universities to study the giant sequoia trees. Using remote sensing technology, they collected tree data in these national parks resulting in 38 sequoia groves. This study utilizes this data to analyze dead tree clusters and their proximity to giant sequoia groves using a variety of exploratory GIS methods. Variables were then used to try and understand why the dead clusters are occurring in these locations. Understanding where there are large clusters of dead trees will help assist with future fire planning for the protection of sequoia trees.
