Register      Login
International Journal of Wildland Fire International Journal of Wildland Fire Society
Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire
RESEARCH ARTICLE

A method for extensive spatiotemporal assessment of soil temperatures during an experimental fire using distributed temperature sensing in optical fibre

Ryan Tangney A B F , Nader A. Issa C , David J. Merritt A E , John N. Callow D and Ben P. Miller A E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 1 Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA 6005, Australia.

B School of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.

C Light Touch Solutions Pty Ltd, The Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation, 1/22 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6000, Australia.

D UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

E School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

F Corresponding author. Email: ryan.tangney@dbca.wa.gov.au

International Journal of Wildland Fire 27(2) 135-140 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF17107
Submitted: 14 July 2017  Accepted: 5 December 2017   Published: 9 February 2018

Abstract

The use of distributed temperature sensing (DTS) for ecological applications has increased rapidly in the last 6 years. Here we demonstrate the first use of DTS to measure soil temperatures during a fuel reduction burn – in an urban grassy Tuart–Banksia woodland remnant near Perth, Western Australia. Optical fibre with an acrylate material coating (diameter 242 μm), but no other jacketing or cabling, was buried in the soil at depths between 0 and 5 cm. Measurements were recorded over 316 m of optical fibre using a DTS measurement unit, providing data over a 5.5-h period at 20-s intervals; resulting in 1243 temporal measurements at 60-cm spatial resolution. Soil temperatures were calibrated to an error of ±6.8% at 250°C. Methods for installation, calibration and data visualisation are presented. Issues associated with assessment of DTS data in a fire ecology context are discussed.

Additional keywords: fire behaviour, prescribed burning, soil heating, urban fire.


References

Auld TD, Denham AJ (2006) How much seed remains in the soil after a fire? Plant Ecology 187, 15–24.
How much seed remains in the soil after a fire?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Barrett RL (2005) ‘Perth plants: a field guide to the bushland and coastal flora of Kings Park and Bold Park, Perth, Western Australia.’ (Eds EP Tay, G Botanic, A Parks) (Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority: Perth, WA, Australia)

Bell DT, Williams DS (1998) Tolerance of thermal shock in seeds. Australian Journal of Botany 46, 221–233.
Tolerance of thermal shock in seeds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bonnell E, Yu L, Homa D, Pickrell G, Wang A (2015) Temperature dependent behavior of optical loss from hydrogen species in optical fibers. ‘Proceedings of SPIE, Volume 9467, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications VII’, 94671L, 22 May 2015, Baltimore, MA, USA. (SPIE: Bellingham, WA, USA)

Bradstock RA, Auld TD (1995) Soil temperatures during experimental bushfires in relation to fire intensity: consequences for legume germination and fire management in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Applied Ecology 32, 76–84.

Burrows ND (1999) A soil heating index for interpreting ecological impacts of jarrah forest fires. Australian Forestry 62, 320–329.
A soil heating index for interpreting ecological impacts of jarrah forest fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Certini G (2005) Effects of fire on properties of forest soils: a review. Oecologia 143, 1–10.
Effects of fire on properties of forest soils: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cram D, Hatch C, Tyler S, Ochoa C (2016) Use of distributed temperature sensing technology to characterize fire behavior. Sensors 16, art1712
Use of distributed temperature sensing technology to characterize fire behavior.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Dakin J, Pratt D, Bibby G, Ross J (1985) Distributed optical fibre Raman temperature sensor using a semiconductor light source and detector. Electronics Letters 21, 569–570.
Distributed optical fibre Raman temperature sensor using a semiconductor light source and detector.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL2MXksVGmt7c%3D&md5=664ec30618183337e2cc01a6ae4bad4cCAS |

DeBano LF, Neary DG, Ffolliott PF (1998) ‘Fire Effects on Ecosystems.’ (Wiley: New York, USA)

Ferrandis P, Herranz JM, Martínez-Sánchez JJ (1999) Effect of fire on hard-coated Cistaceae seed banks and its influence on techniques for quantifying seed banks. Plant Ecology 144, 103–114.

Hanley ME, Lamont BB (2000) Heat pre-treatment and the germination of soil- and canopy-stored seeds of south-western Australian species. Acta Oecologica 21, 315–321.
Heat pre-treatment and the germination of soil- and canopy-stored seeds of south-western Australian species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hausner MB, Suárez F, Glander KE, van de Giesen N, Selker JS, Tyler SW (2011) Calibrating single-ended fiber-optic raman spectra distributed temperature sensing data. Sensors 11, 10859–10879.
Calibrating single-ended fiber-optic raman spectra distributed temperature sensing data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Luna B, Moreno JM, Cruz A, Fernández-González F (2007) Heat-shock and seed germination of a group of Mediterranean plant species growing in a burned area: an approach based on plant functional types. Environmental and Experimental Botany 60, 324–333.
Heat-shock and seed germination of a group of Mediterranean plant species growing in a burned area: an approach based on plant functional types.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mandal S, Dekate S, Lee BK, Guida R, Mondanos M, Yeo J, Goranson M (2015) Characterization and calibration of Raman based distributed temperature sensing system for 600°C operation. In ‘Proceedings Volume 9491, Sensors for Extreme Harsh Environments II’, 94910A, 13 May 2015, Baltimore, MD, USA. (SPIE: Bellingham, WA, USA) 10.1117/12.2179703

Neary DG, Klopatek CC, DeBano LF, Ffolliott PF (1999) Fire effects on belowground sustainability: a review and synthesis. Forest Ecology and Management 122, 51–71.
Fire effects on belowground sustainability: a review and synthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ooi MKJ, Denham AJ, Santana VM, Auld TD (2014) Temperature thresholds of physically dormant seeds and plant functional response to fire: variation among species and relative impact of climate change. Ecology and Evolution 4, 656–671.
Temperature thresholds of physically dormant seeds and plant functional response to fire: variation among species and relative impact of climate change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Paula S, Pausas JG (2008) Burning seeds: germinative response to heat treatments in relation to resprouting ability. Journal of Ecology 96, 543–552.
Burning seeds: germinative response to heat treatments in relation to resprouting ability.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Roche S, Dixon KW, Pate JS (1998) For everything a season: smoke-induced seed germination and seedling recruitment in a Western Australian Banksia woodland. Australian Journal of Ecology 23, 111–120.
For everything a season: smoke-induced seed germination and seedling recruitment in a Western Australian Banksia woodland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Selker J, van de Giesen N, Westhoff M, Luxemburg W, Parlange MB (2006) Fiber optics opens window on stream dynamics. Geophysical Research Letters 33, L24401

Steele-Dunne SC, Rutten MM, Krzeminska DM, Hausner M, Tyler SW, Selker J, Bogaard TA, van de Giesen NC (2010) Feasibility of soil moisture estimation using passive distributed temperature sensing. Water Resources Research 46, artW03534

Tarrega R, Calvo L, Trabaud L (1992) Effect of high temperatures on seed germination of two woody Leguminosae. Vegetatio 102, 139–147.
Effect of high temperatures on seed germination of two woody Leguminosae.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tyler SW, Selker JS, Hausner MB, Hatch CE, Torgersen T, Thodal CE, Schladow SG (2009) Environmental temperature sensing using Raman spectra DTS fiber-optic methods. Water Resources Research 45, artW00D23

Ukil A, Braendle H, Krippner P (2012) Distributed temperature sensing: review of technology and applications. IEEE Sensors Journal 12, 885–892.
Distributed temperature sensing: review of technology and applications.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Williams PR, Congdon RA, Grice AC, Clarke PJ (2005) Germinable soil seed banks in a tropical savanna: seasonal dynamics and effects of fire. Austral Ecology 30, 79–90.
Germinable soil seed banks in a tropical savanna: seasonal dynamics and effects of fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zuloaga-Aguilar S, Briones O, Orozco-Segovia A (2010) Effect of heat shock on germination of 23 plant species in pine–oak and montane cloud forests in western Mexico. International Journal of Wildland Fire 19, 759–773.
Effect of heat shock on germination of 23 plant species in pine–oak and montane cloud forests in western Mexico.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |