Uso de indicadores na determinação de umidade do material combustível sob povoamento de Pinus taeda

Abstract

The objective of this research was to develop prediction equations in order to estimate the moisture content of dead forest fuel in a loblolly pine stand, through the use of standard sticks. The research material was collected between May and August from a 18 years old stand, and separated in four classes: i) neddles; ii) woody material up to 0.7 cm diameter; iii) woody material from 0.7 to 2.5 cm diameter; iv) woody material from 2.5 to 7.6 cm diameter. Three different sizes of sticks were used: one for estimatíng the moisture of needles and woody material up to 0.7 cm and the others for each remainning fuel size class. The sticks were made from brazilian pine wood. The prediction equations based on the weight of the standard sticks did not present good predictions for the moisture content of the forest fuels, under the studied conditions.