Forest Research: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2168-9776
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2168-9776
+44 1300 500008
Stephen F. Austin State University, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, 419 East College Street, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA
Research
Initial Investigation of Seasonal Flammability of three Invasive East Texas Forest Understory Fuels using Thermogravimetric Analysis
Author(s): Michael B. Tiller, Brian P. Oswald*, Alyx S. Frantzen, Warren C. Conway and Kuai Hung I
East Texas forest understory fuels have become increasingly infested with invasive species which have contributed to greater hazardous fuel loads when combined with decades of fire exclusion and passive management. This study focused on estimating seasonal changes in flammability parameters of invasive yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) using thermogravimetric analysis. Foliage and stem samples were collected in the dormant (February) and growing (August) seasons. Differential thermogravimetric (DTG) and proximate analyses were used to estimate species specific flammability parameters related to relative spontaneous ignition temperature (RSIT), gas-phase maximum mass loss rate (GP-MMLR), and combustion duration (GP-CD). Seasonality played a significant role among species RSIT (p<0.0001) and .. View More»
DOI:
10.35248/2168-9776.20.9.230