Canadian Forest Service Publications
Using conditional spatial randomization to identify insect infestation hot spots. 2007. Nelson, T.A.; Boots, B. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, B.C. Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative Working Paper 2007-12. 18 p.
Year: 2007
Issued by: Pacific Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 26797
Language: English
Series: Mountain Pine Beetle Working Paper (PFC - Victoria)
Availability: PDF (download)
Abstract
Epidemic populations of mountain pine beetle highlight the need to understand landscape-scale spatial patterns of infestation. Observed infestation patterns were explored using a randomization procedure conditioned on the probability of forest risk to beetle attack. Four randomization algorithms reflecting different representations of the data and beetle processes were investigated. Local test statistics computed from raster representations of surfaces of kernel density estimates of infestation intensity were used to identify locations where infestation values were significantly higher than expected by chance (hot spots). Investigation of landscape characteristics associated with hot spots suggests factors that may contribute to high observed infestations.