Fire suppression and ecosystem carbon storage
David Tilman,Peter B. Reich,Hope Phillips,Mary Menton,Ami Patel,Erin Vos,David W. Peterson,Johannes M. H. Knops +7 more
TLDR
A 35-year controlled burning experiment in Minnesota oak savanna showed that fire frequency had a great impact on ecosystem carbon (C) stores, with most carbon stored in woody biomass.Abstract:
A 35-year controlled burning experiment in Minnesota oak savanna showed that fire frequency had a great impact on ecosystem carbon (C) stores. Specifically, compared to the historical fire regime, fire suppression led to an average of 1.8 Mg·ha−1·yr−1 of C storage, with most carbon stored in woody biomass. Forest floor carbon stores were also significantly impacted by fire frequency, but there were no detectable effects of fire suppression on carbon in soil and fine roots combined, or in woody debris. Total ecosystem C stores averaged ∼110 Mg/ha in stands experiencing presettlement fire frequencies, but ∼220 Mg/ha in stands experiencing fire suppression. If comparable rates of C storage were to occur in other ecosystems in response to the current extent of fire suppression in the United States, fire suppression in the USA might account for 8–20% of missing global carbon.read more
Citations
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Ecosystem carbon storage capacity as affected by disturbance regimes: A general theoretical model
Ensheng Weng,Yiqi Luo,Weile Wang,Han Wang,Daniel J. Hayes,A. David McGuire,Alan Hastings,David S. Schimel +7 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a model (REGIME) to quantify ecosystem carbon storage capacities under varying disturbance regimes with an analytical solution E[x] = U {center_dot} {tau}{sub E} {center-dot}{lambda}{lambda} + s{tau} 1, where U is ecosystem carbon influx, τ is ecosystem residence time, and τ is the residence time of the carbon pool affected by disturbances (biomass pool in this study).
Journal ArticleDOI
Carbon accumulation in Colorado ponderosa pine stands
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated ponderosa pine encroachment near Boulder, Colorado and reconstructed a time series of forest structure to estimate changes in carbon storage by the trees and found that accumulation rates increased exponentially as trees increased in size and additional trees established within the plots, and were highly variable among plots.
Journal ArticleDOI
Altered Ecosystem Nitrogen Dynamics as a Consequence of Land Cover Change in Tallgrass Prairie
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors quantify and compare major pools and fluxes of nitrogen in recently established (≤ 80 y) redcedar forests and adjacent native grasslands and found that the shift in dominant plant life form, from C4 grasses to coniferous trees, may be accompanied by changes in productivity, standing stocks of biomass and nutrients and biogeochemical cycles.
Journal ArticleDOI
Limited increases in savanna carbon stocks over decades of fire suppression
Yongming Luo Haibo Zhang Chen Tu Haiqing Ma Qian Zhou,Jenia Singh,John R. Butnor,Corli Coetsee,Peter Boucher,Madelon F. Case,Evan G. Hockridge,Andrew B. Davies,A. Carla Staver +8 more
ReportDOI
Considering Forest and Grassland Carbon in Land Management
Maria K. Janowiak,W.J. Connelly,K. Dante-Wood,Grant M. Domke,C. Giardina,Z. Kayler,K. Marcinkowski,Todd A. Ontl,C. Rodriguez-Franco,Christopher W. Swanston,Christopher W. Woodall,M. Buford +11 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of forest and grassland ecosystems in the carbon cycle is described and information for considering carbon as one of many objectives for land management activities is provided. But, although carbon may be of interest in developing management plans and options, it is not a primary management objective.
References
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Book
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Journal ArticleDOI
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