Donald A. Shute

Bio: Donald A. Shute is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Vegetation (pathology). The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 13 citations.

Two basic methodological choices in wildland vegetation inventories: their consequences and implications

Abstract: Two Basic Methodological Choices in Wildland Vegetation Inventories: Their Consequences and Implications

Biomass estimation using satellite remote sensing data—An investigation on possible approaches for natural forest

Abstract: Vegetation type and its biomass are considered important components affecting biosphere-atmosphere interactions. The measurements of biomass per unit area and productivity have been set as one of the goals for International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). Ground assessment of biomass, however, has been found insufficient to present spatial extent of the biomass. The present study suggests approaches for using satellite remote sensing data for regional biomass mapping in Madhav National Park (MP). The stratified random sampling in the homogeneous vegetation strata mapped using satellite remote sensing has been effectively utilized to extrapolate the sample point biomass observations in the first approach.

Vegetation science applications for rangeland analysis and management.

Abstract: 1. Introduction.- Basic Vegetation Science Contributions.- 2. Plant synecology in the service of rangeland management.- 3. Ecophysiology of range plants.- 4. Rangeland plant taxonomy.- 5. New plant development in range management.- 6. Successional concepts in relation to range condition assessment.- 7. A role for nonvascular plants in management of arid and semiarid rangelands.- 8. Seedbeds as selective factors in the species composition of rangeland communities.- 9. Modelling rangeland ecosystems for monitoring and adaptive management.- Vegetation Distribution and Organization.- 10. Vegetation-soil relationships on arid and semiarid rangelands.- 11. Vegetation attributes and their applications to the management of Australian rangelands.- 12. The ecology of shrubland/woodland for range use.- 13. Tundra vegetation as a rangeland resource.- 14. Forest rangeland relationships.- 15. Ecological principles and their application to rangeland management practice in South Africa.- 16. Range management from grassland ecology.- 17. Riparian values as a focus for range management and vegetation science.- Vegetation Science Rangeland Applications.- 18. Rangeland vegetation productivity and biomass.- 19. Rangeland vegetation - hydrologic interactions.- 20. Grazing management and vegetation response.- 21. Understanding fire ecology for range management.- 22. Reclamation of drastically disturbed rangelands.- 23. Rangeland vegetation as wildlife habitat.- 24. Revegetation of arid and semiarid rangelands.

Tropical forest resource assessment and monitoring

Abstract: Forest is a major resource and plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance and environmental setup. Over utilization of forest resource has resulted in its depletion. The changes in tropical forest cover are matter of global concern due to its ability of promoting role in carbon cycle. This renewable resource continues to decrease at accelerated rate. Accurate and timely information in regular interval on the distribution of natural resources on earth is of top priority for understanding dynamics of the human induced land cover/land use accelerated changes. This information can be further utilized in understanding biophysical processes of the earth. In India and the other developing countries it is mostly been lost for the agricultural practices. Aerospace technology is a potential means of collecting information about natural resources including forests at any desired time. The technology is considered important to revise or update available information. The present paper addresses the status of tropical forest and requirements for its monitoring and assessment. It discusses the potential of the remote sensing technology for managing the forests, in general and sustaining the pace of development in this technology. It focuses the technology trends and techniques for tropical forest assessment at different scale and levels.

Biomass and productivity estimation using aerospace data and Geographic Information System

Abstract: Traditionally biomass estimation involved harvesting of the trees. As the forest cover decreased, there became the need for non-destructive methods for volume/biomass estimation. Methods were developed to relate the biomass with girth, height etc. Component-wise biomass equations were developed, which were used to estimate biomass at the plot level. In last couple of years satellite remote sensing has been successfully used for biomass and productivity estimation. The unique characteristic of plants is displayed by its reflectance in red and infrared region of electro-magnetic radiation. These have relationship with the biophysical parameters of plants. Therefore, process based models were developed to make use of the remotely sensed data available on monthly basis for estimation of Net Primary Productivity (NPP). Production efficiency model was used to estimate the NPP at the patch level, which takes Intercepted Photosynthetically Active Radiation (IPAR) and photosynthetic efficiency as input parameters to estimate NPP.