Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture
This study investigated the relationship between climate and landscape characteristics and surface fuel consumption as well as the effects of variations in postfire organic layer depth on soil temperature and moisture in a black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) forest complex in interior Alaska. M...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
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Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
2005
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x05-159 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x05-159 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/x05-159 2024-06-23T07:56:07+00:00 Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture Kasischke, Eric S Johnstone, Jill F 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x05-159 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x05-159 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Forest Research volume 35, issue 9, page 2164-2177 ISSN 0045-5067 1208-6037 journal-article 2005 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-159 2024-06-13T04:10:50Z This study investigated the relationship between climate and landscape characteristics and surface fuel consumption as well as the effects of variations in postfire organic layer depth on soil temperature and moisture in a black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) forest complex in interior Alaska. Mineral soil moisture and temperature at the end of the growing season and organic layer depth were measured in three burns occurring in different years (1987, 1994, 1999) and in adjacent unburned stands. In unburned stands, average organic layer and humic layer depth increased with stand age. Mineral soil temperature and moisture varied as a function of the surface organic layer depth in unburned stands, indicating that as a stand matures, the moisture content of the deep duff layer is likely to increase as well. Fires reduced the depth of the surface organic layers by 5 to 24 cm. Within each burn we found that significant variations in levels of surface fuel consumption were related to several factors, including mineral soil texture, presence or absence of permafrost, and timing of the fires with respect to seasonal permafrost thaw. While seasonal weather patterns contribute to variations in fuel moisture and consumption during fires, interactions among the soil thermal regime, surface organic layer depth, and previous fire history are also important in controlling patterns of surface fuel consumption. Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost Alaska Canadian Science Publishing Duff ENVELOPE(-60.029,-60.029,-62.450,-62.450) Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35 9 2164 2177 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
This study investigated the relationship between climate and landscape characteristics and surface fuel consumption as well as the effects of variations in postfire organic layer depth on soil temperature and moisture in a black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) forest complex in interior Alaska. Mineral soil moisture and temperature at the end of the growing season and organic layer depth were measured in three burns occurring in different years (1987, 1994, 1999) and in adjacent unburned stands. In unburned stands, average organic layer and humic layer depth increased with stand age. Mineral soil temperature and moisture varied as a function of the surface organic layer depth in unburned stands, indicating that as a stand matures, the moisture content of the deep duff layer is likely to increase as well. Fires reduced the depth of the surface organic layers by 5 to 24 cm. Within each burn we found that significant variations in levels of surface fuel consumption were related to several factors, including mineral soil texture, presence or absence of permafrost, and timing of the fires with respect to seasonal permafrost thaw. While seasonal weather patterns contribute to variations in fuel moisture and consumption during fires, interactions among the soil thermal regime, surface organic layer depth, and previous fire history are also important in controlling patterns of surface fuel consumption. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kasischke, Eric S Johnstone, Jill F |
spellingShingle |
Kasischke, Eric S Johnstone, Jill F Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
author_facet |
Kasischke, Eric S Johnstone, Jill F |
author_sort |
Kasischke, Eric S |
title |
Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
title_short |
Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
title_full |
Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
title_fullStr |
Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
title_full_unstemmed |
Variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
title_sort |
variation in postfire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2005 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x05-159 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x05-159 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-60.029,-60.029,-62.450,-62.450) |
geographic |
Duff |
geographic_facet |
Duff |
genre |
permafrost Alaska |
genre_facet |
permafrost Alaska |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Forest Research volume 35, issue 9, page 2164-2177 ISSN 0045-5067 1208-6037 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-159 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
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35 |
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9 |
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2164 |
op_container_end_page |
2177 |
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1802648997392809984 |