Climate-induced fire regimes in the Russian biodiversity hotspots

Wu, Chao; Wang, Menghui; Lu, Chenxi; Venevsky, Sergey; Sorokina, V. V.; Kulygin, V.V.; Berdnikov, S. V.

doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00495

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 30 publications

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“…In the real world, these changes in fire activity have large consequences for other elements of ecosystem function beyond carbon storage. For instance, declining fire activity and resulting woody encroachment often have negative effects on fire-dependent ecosystems ( 42 ), and in particular on tropical savannas and grasslands ( 43 , 44 ), where fire is crucial for ecosystem function and maintenance of biodiversity ( 45 , 46 ) and human livelihoods ( 47 ). This link has been demonstrated empirically: Increases in carbon stocks resulting from fire suppression in savannas have been associated with extensive biodiversity losses ( 45 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced global fire activity due to human demography slows global warming by enhanced land carbon uptake

Mercado

Venevsky

et al. 2022

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Significance Fire is an increasing climate-driven threat to humans. While human demography can strongly modulate fire ignition rates or fire suppression, changes in CO 2 released by fires feed back to climate. We show that human demography could reduce future fire activity, which would in turn attenuate global warming via an enhanced land carbon sink. This mitigation is strongest in a low–CO 2 -emission world, corresponding to ∼5 to 10 y of global CO 2 emissions at today's levels by 2100. We highlight the strong role of human demography in global fire reduction and the potential for climate change mitigation by enhanced land carbon sequestration. We also note possible trade-offs, including loss of biodiversity in fire-dependent ecosystems and increases in severe fire events.

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