The footprint of Alaskan tundra fires during the past half-century: implications for surface properties and radiative forcing

• Published in: Environmental Research Letters
• Main Authors: Adrian V Rocha, Michael M Loranty, Phil E Higuera, Michelle C Mack, Feng Sheng Hu, Benjamin M Jones, Amy L Breen, Edward B Rastetter, Scott J Goetz, Gus R Shaver
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 2012
• Subjects: tundra; fire; radiative forcing; albedo; EVI; climate change; Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering; TD1-1066; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Science; Q; Physics; QC1-999; Arctic; Climate change; north slope; Tundra; Alaska
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/7/4/044039; https://doaj.org/article/f5b72ed072ff483d81f7ad4b9e89c61e

Recent large and frequent fires above the Alaskan arctic circle have forced a reassessment of the ecological and climatological importance of fire in arctic tundra ecosystems. Here we provide a general overview of the occurrence, distribution, and ecological and climate implications of Alaskan tundra fires over the past half-century using spatially explicit climate, fire, vegetation and remote sensing datasets for Alaska. Our analyses highlight the importance of vegetation biomass and environmental conditions in regulating tundra burning, and demonstrate that most tundra ecosystems are susceptible to burn, providing the environmental conditions are right. Over the past two decades, fire perimeters above the arctic circle have increased in size and importance, especially on the North Slope, indicating that future wildfire projections should account for fire regime changes in these regions. Remote sensing data and a literature review of thaw depths indicate that tundra fires have both positive and negative implications for climatic feedbacks including a decadal increase in albedo radiative forcing immediately after a fire, a stimulation of surface greenness and a persistent long-term (>10 year) increase in thaw depth. In order to address the future impact of tundra fires on climate, a better understanding of the control of tundra fire occurrence as well as the long-term impacts on ecosystem carbon cycling will be required.