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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): D. R. Smith; Jörg D. Kaduk; H. Baltzer; Martin J. Wooster; G. N. Mottram; G. Hartley; Timothy J. Lynham; John Studens; John R. Curry; Brian J. Stocks
Publication Date: 2010

To fully understand the carbon (C) cycle impacts of forest fires, both C emissions during the fire and post-disturbance fluxes need to be considered. The latter are dominated by soil surface CO2 flux (Fs), which is still subject to large uncertainties. Fire is generally regarded as the most important factor influencing succession in the boreal forest biome and fire dependant species such as jack pine are widespread. In May 2007, we took concurrent Fs and soil temperature (Ts) measurements in boreal jack pine fire scars aged between 0 and 59 years since fire. To allow comparisons between scars, we adjusted Fs for Ts (FsT) using a Q10 of 2. Mean FsT ranged from 0.56 (± 0.30 sd) to 1.94 (± 0.74 sd) µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. Our results indicate a difference in mean FsT between recently burned (4 to 8 days post fire) and non-burned mature (59 years since fire) forest (P < 0.001), though no difference was detected between recently burned (4 to 8 days post fire) and non-burned young (16 years since fire) forest (P = 0.785). There was a difference in mean FsT between previously young (16 years since fire) and intermediate aged (32 years since fire) scars that were both subject to fire in 2007 (P < 0.001). However, there was no difference in mean FsT between mature (59 years since fire) and intermediate aged (32 years since fire) scars that were both subjected to fire in 2007 (P = 0.226). Furthermore, there was no difference in mean FsT between mature (59 years since fire) and young scars (16 years since fire) that were both subjected to fire in 2007 (P = 0.186). There was an increase in FsT with time since fire for the chronosequence 0, 16 and 59 years post fire (P < 0.001). Our results lead us to hypothesise that the autotrophic:heterotrophic soil respiration ratio increases over post-fire successional time in boreal jack pine systems, though this should be explored in future research. The results of this study contribute to a better quantitative understanding of Fs in boreal jack pine fire scars and will facilitate meta-analyses of Fs in fire scar chronosequences. © Authors 2010.

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Citation: Smith, D. R. et al. 2010. Soil surface CO2 flux increases with successional time in a fire scar chronosequence of Canadian boreal jack pine forest. Biogeosciences, v. 7, no. 5, p. 1375-1381. 10.5194/bg-7-1375-2010.

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Regions:
Alaska    California    Eastern    Great Basin    Hawaii    Northern Rockies    Northwest    Rocky Mountain    Southern    Southwest    International    National
Keywords:
  • boreal forests
  • C - carbon
  • Canada
  • cones
  • coniferous forests
  • ecosystem dynamics
  • fire adaptations (plants)
  • fire dependent species
  • fire frequency
  • fire hazard reduction
  • fire management
  • fire scar analysis
  • forest management
  • jack pine
  • pine
  • Pinus banksiana
  • population density
  • serotiny
  • soil temperature
  • succession
  • temperature
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 24907Location Status: Not in fileCall Number: Not in FileAbstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 48717

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.