Global Change Biology (2000), 6 (Suppl. 1), 174±184 The role of ®re in the boreal carbon budget

To reconcile observations of decomposition rates, carbon inventories, and net primary production (NPP), we estimated long-term averages for C exchange in boreal forests near Thompson, Manitoba. Soil drainage as de®ned by water table, moss cover, and permafrost dynamics, is the dominant control on di...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: J. W. Harden, S. E. Trumbore, B. J. Stocks, A. Hirsch, S. T. Gower, K. P. O'neill, E S. Kasischke
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
boreal
carbon
decomposition
®re
forest
soil
permafrost
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.420.601
http://www.lter.uaf.edu/pdf/881_harden_dunkel_2000.pdf
Description
Summary:To reconcile observations of decomposition rates, carbon inventories, and net primary production (NPP), we estimated long-term averages for C exchange in boreal forests near Thompson, Manitoba. Soil drainage as de®ned by water table, moss cover, and permafrost dynamics, is the dominant control on direct ®re emissions. In upland forests, an average of about 10±30 % of annual NPP was likely consumed by ®re over the past 6500 years since these landforms and ecosystems were established. This longterm, average ®re emission is much larger than has been accounted for in global C cycle models and may forecast an increase in ®re activity for this region. While over decadal to century times these boreal forests may be acting as slight net sinks for C from the atmosphere to land, periods of drought and severe ®re activity may result in net sources of C from these systems.

Similar Items