ASSESSMENT OF BIOMASS LOSSES BY FOREST FIRE IN DRY DECIDUOUS DIPTEROCARP FOREST AT HUAI KHA KHAENG WILDLIFE SANCTUARY USING REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Remote sensing techniques have been applied for the assessment of biomass losses caused by forest fire in dry deciduous dipterocarp forest at Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.  This study is to find out the relationships between the quantity of surface biomass in forms of the quantity of leaf surface fuel as a dependent variable (Y) and fractional green vegetation cover (fc), and other vegetation indices derived from Landsat 5 TM image as independent variables (X). Regression Analysis was adopted for describing the relationships. The best suited relationship equation was used to estimate the quantity of surface biomass, in terms of the quantity of leaf surface fuel in the study area.  This led to be able to assess the surface biomass losses in forms of the quantity of leaf surface fuel from forest fire in the study area. The study indicated that the quantity of surface biomass in forms of the quantity of leaf surface fuel in dry deciduous dipterocarp forest could be estimated from Landsat 5 TM imagery. The multiple linear equation described relationships between the quantity of leaf surface fuel (Y) and fractional green vegetation cover (fc), IR/R ratio was the best suitable equation.  The equation was Y =  3284.036(fc) – 855.018(IR/R) + 559.036 (R² = 0.598).  The average quantity of leaf surface fuel was 499.82 kilogram per rai. The percentage of the quantity of leaf surface fuel losses caused by forest fire was 35.34 percent. The quantity of leaf surface fuel losses caused by forest fire in dry deciduous dipterocarp forest was 6,359,971.21 kilograms or 6,359.97 tons.  The burned area from forest fire in dry deciduous dipterocarp forest was estimated at 36,005.85 rai in 2005.