Modelling the spatial extent of post‐fire sedimentation threat to estimate the impacts of fire on waterways and aquatic species

Ward, Michelle; Southwell, Darren; Gallagher, Rachael V.; Raadik, Tarmo A.; Whiterod, Nick S.; Lintermans, Mark; Sheridan, Gary; Nyman, Petter; Suárez‐Castro, Andrés Felipe; Marsh, Jessica; Legge, Sarah

doi:10.1111/ddi.13640

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Optimal study sites are areas of limited or no vegetation. These sites relate to post-fire settings, settings controlled by overgrazing [111][112][113][114][115][116][117][118], or areas of high sedimentation, where eroded, transported sediments constantly cover the recently formed vegetation (as at the Platana test site [47]). To our knowledge, no detailed soil erosion investigation has yet been conducted regarding the combination of UAV-and t-LiDAR-derived point cloud algorithms in fire-affected areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring and Quantifying Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Rates in Centimeter Accuracy Using UAV-Photogrammetry, GNSS, and t-LiDAR in a Post-Fire Setting

Alexiou,

Papanikolaou,

Schneiderwind

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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Remote sensing techniques, namely Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry and t-LiDAR (terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging), two well-established techniques, were applied for seven years in a mountainous Mediterranean catchment in Greece (Ilioupoli test site, Athens), following a wildfire event in 2015. The goal was to monitor and quantify soil erosion and sedimentation rates with cm accuracy. As the frequency of wildfires in the Mediterranean has increased, this study aims to present a methodological approach for monitoring and quantifying soil erosion and sedimentation rates in post-fire conditions, through high spatial resolution field measurements acquired using a UAV survey and a t-LiDAR (or TLS—Terrestrial Laser Scanning), in combination with georadar profiles (Ground Penetration Radar—GPR) and GNSS. This test site revealed that 40 m3 of sediment was deposited following the first intense autumn rainfall events, a value that was decreased by 50% over the next six months (20 m3). The UAV–SfM technique revealed only 2 m3 of sediment deposition during the 2018–2019 analysis, highlighting the decrease in soil erosion rates three years after the wildfire event. In the following years (2017–2021), erosion and sedimentation decreased further, confirming the theoretical pattern, whereas sedimentation over the first year after the fire was very high and then sharply lessened as vegetation regenerated. The methodology proposed in this research can serve as a valuable guide for achieving high-precision sediment yield deposition measurements based on a detailed analysis of 3D modeling and a point cloud comparison, specifically leveraging the dense data collection facilitated by UAV–SfM and TLS technology. The resulting point clouds effectively replicate the fine details of the topsoil microtopography within the upland dam basin, as highlighted by the profile analysis. Overall, this research clearly demonstrates that after monitoring the upland area in post-fire conditions, the UAV–SfM method and LiDAR cm-scale data offer a realistic assessment of the retention dam’s life expectancy and management planning. These observations are especially crucial for assessing the impacts in the wildfire-affected areas, the implementation of mitigation strategies, and the construction and maintenance of retention dams.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring and Quantifying Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Rates in Centimeter Accuracy Using UAV-Photogrammetry, GNSS, and t-LiDAR in a Post-Fire Setting

Alexiou,

Papanikolaou,

Schneiderwind

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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“…While our study was designed to specifically test the influence of fire on terrestrial subsidies (in the form of plant detritus), it is important to recognize that wildfire effects on aquatic systems can persist for many years (Santos et al., 2019) and be felt locally as well as thousands of miles away through atmospheric and hydrological transport (Tang et al., 2021; Ward et al., 2022). Wildfires alter many constitutive ecosystem properties (e.g., soil chemistry, plant communities, erosion/deposition, detritus quality and quantity) and are capable of crossing ecosystem boundaries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire transforms effects of terrestrial subsidies on aquatic ecosystem structure and function

Wall,

Spiegel,

Diaz

et al. 2023

Global Change Biology

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Fire can lead to transitions between forest and grassland ecosystems and trigger positive feedbacks to climate warming by releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Climate change is projected to increase the prevalence and severity of wildfires. However, fire effects on the fate and impact of terrestrial organic matter (i.e., terrestrial subsidies) in aquatic ecosystems are unclear. Here, we performed a gradient design experiment in freshwater pond mesocosms adding 15 different amounts of burned or unburned plant detritus and tracking the chronology of detritus effects at 10, 31, 59, and 89 days. We show terrestrial subsidies had time‐ and mass‐dependent, non‐linear impacts on ecosystem function that influenced dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ecosystem metabolism (net primary production and respiration), greenhouse gas concentrations (carbon dioxide [CO2], methane [CH4]), and trophic transfer. These impacts were shifted by fire treatment. Burning increased the elemental concentration of detritus (increasing %N, %P, %K), with cascading effects on ecosystem function. Mesocosms receiving burned detritus had lower [DOC] and [CO2] and higher dissolved oxygen (DO) through Day 59. Fire magnified the effects of plant detritus on aquatic ecosystem metabolism by stimulating photosynthesis and respiration at intermediate detritus‐loading through Day 89. The effect of loading on DO was similar for burned and unburned treatments (Day 10); however, burned‐detritus in the highest loading treatments led to sustained hypoxia (through Day 31), and long‐term destabilization of ecosystem metabolism through Day 89. In addition, fire affected trophic transfer by increasing autochthonous nitrogen source utilization and reducing the incorporation of 15N‐labeled detritus into plankton biomass, thereby reducing the flux of terrestrial subsidies to higher trophic levels. Our results indicate fire chemically transforms plant detritus and alters the role of aquatic ecosystems in processing and storing carbon. Wildfire may therefore induce shifts in ecosystem functions that cross the boundary between aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

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“…Increased albedo; melt and sublimation (Molina et al 2015 Destruction of channel and system properties ( Ward et al 2022).…”

Section: Glacier Formationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fire and geodiversity

Hoyland,

McHenry,

Foster

2024

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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Geodiversity elements contribute significantly to local and global hydrological, biogeochemical and ecosystem services and as such, fire is a potentially disruptive force with long-term implications. from limiting karstic speleothems formation, to compounding impacts of peat-fire-erosion cycles. Geodiversity elements additionally possess important cultural, aesthetic, and environmental values, including the support of ecosystem services. Hence, assessments of potential fire damage should consider implications for land users, society, and culture, alongside the geomorphic impacts on geodiversity elements. With a view to providing a concise set of descriptors of the response of geodiversity elements to fire, we qualify and in places, quantify, how fire may degrade geosystem function. Where possible, we highlight the influence of fire intensity and frequency gradients, and cumulative fire, in the deterioration of geodiversity values. Geoconservation is integral to protected areas with implications from fire effected geodiversity functions and values presenting issues for management, with potential consequences extending through to delisting, degazetting, and resizing of protected areas. Future research in reserve systems should concentrate on understanding the synergistic and compounding effects of fire on the geophysical landscape.

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Modelling the spatial extent of post‐fire sedimentation threat to estimate the impacts of fire on waterways and aquatic species

Cited by 7 publications

References 44 publications

Monitoring and Quantifying Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Rates in Centimeter Accuracy Using UAV-Photogrammetry, GNSS, and t-LiDAR in a Post-Fire Setting

Monitoring and Quantifying Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Rates in Centimeter Accuracy Using UAV-Photogrammetry, GNSS, and t-LiDAR in a Post-Fire Setting

Fire transforms effects of terrestrial subsidies on aquatic ecosystem structure and function

Fire and geodiversity

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