Sequential Disturbance Effects of Hailstorm and Fire on Vegetation in a Mediterranean-Type Ecosystem

Gower, K; Fontaine, Joseph B.; Birnbaum, Christina; Enright, Neal J.

doi:10.1007/s10021-015-9886-5

Cited by 15 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 58 publications

(21 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…, Gower et al. ). This could indicate the existence of short‐term synergistic effects of fire and drought if, for instance, forest regeneration is precluded in a drought year right after a large fire (e.g., mortality of recruits; Pratt et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The significantly larger effects of consecutive vs. simultaneous events suggest that specific sequences of events may modulate the response of the system (Miao et al 2009, Gower et al 2015. This could indicate the existence of shortterm synergistic effects of fire and drought if, for instance, forest regeneration is precluded in a drought year right after a large fire (e.g., mortality of recruits; Pratt et al 2014) or in a fire year after a drought year (e.g., lack of seed sources; Meng et al 2015).…”

Section: Cumulative Effects Of Fire and Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Cumulative effects of fire and drought in Mediterranean ecosystems

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The occurrence of multiple disturbances can jointly affect the recovery capacity of ecosystems, potentially leading to changes in vegetation dynamics or loss of resilience. The effects of interacting disturbances on ecosystems are, however, not well understood. We use a model system based on Mediterraneantype ecosystems (MTEs) to examine how the interplay between vegetation regeneration traits and compound, stochastic disturbances modulate ecosystem dynamics. We developed a state-and-transition simulation model including two tree species with contrasting regeneration strategies (seeder vs. resprouter) and a shrubland formation. We aim to assess potential compositional switches under contrasted scenarios of compound fire-drought regimes, and to characterize the cumulative effects of fire-drought (synergism vs. antagonism) relative to the effects of individual disturbance regimes. Our simulation results indicate that interaction between moderate fire and sporadic drought recurrence-as opposed to chronic dryness-can act as a strong mechanism generating highly heterogeneous landscapes in which different regeneration types coexist, as observed in MTEs. Resprouters dominated under individual, moderate disturbance regimes of fire or drought, whereas the interaction of the two disturbances promoted the longterm coexistence of both tree regeneration strategies. However, shrubland expansion and persistence at the expanse of forests was favored by increases in drought recurrence and associated fire-drought interactions, highlighting the potential for important vegetation changes in MTEs under climate change. Overall, the cumulative effects of fire and drought can lead to distinct landscape configurations under moderate disturbance regimes that are otherwise only attained under high frequency of individual disturbances. At the ecosystem level, however, we suggest that disturbance-induced vegetation dynamics can modify vegetation sensitivity and resilience to further disturbances precluding the prevalence of synergistic effects of the two disturbances.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cumulative Effects Of Fire and Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cumulative effects of fire and drought in Mediterranean ecosystems

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Bigler and Veblen (2011) found that immediately following tree death associated with drought and increased bark beetle activity in northern Colorado, United States, high loads of litter accumulated up to 10 times more for spruce, 5 times for fir and 2 times for pine compared with live trees. Gower et al (2015) reported an increase of nearly 18 tonnes ha -1 under trees and 2 tonnes ha -1 under shrubs following canopy defoliation by an intense hailstorm in Western Australia. The differences in fuel load between our current study and other disturbance investigations are likely to be due to a combination of time since impact, forest types and causal factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Linked disturbances, where the likelihood, intensity, or extent of a second disturbance is impacted by the first, are currently receiving a great deal of attention (Buma 2015;Gower et al 2015). For instance, the link between widespread conifer mortality from bark beetles and subsequent fire potential and fire behaviour (Harvey et al2013) continues to be a topic of concern for forest managers and policy-makers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, the link between widespread conifer mortality from bark beetles and subsequent fire potential and fire behaviour (Harvey et al2013) continues to be a topic of concern for forest managers and policy-makers. The degree to which drought-and heat-induced forest die-off leads to linked disturbances has been widely mentioned but few examples quantifying the effect have been documented, particularly for non-conifer forest types (but see Gower et al 2015). The amount, severity and duration of elevated surface fire potentials, for example, from forest die-off represent important knowledge gaps in understanding consequences of linked disturbance interactions and subsequent ecosystem processes (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

How drought-induced forest die-off alters microclimate and increases fuel loadings and fire potentials

Ruthrof

Fontaine

Matusick

et al. 2016

Int. J. Wildland Fire

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Forest die-offs associated with drought and heat have recently occurred across the globe, raising concern that associated changes in fuels and microclimate could link initial die-off disturbance to subsequent fire disturbance. Despite widespread concern, little empirical data exist. Following forest die-off in the Northern Jarrah Forest, south-western Australia, we quantified fuel dynamics and associated microclimate for die-off and control plots. Sixteen months post die-off, die-off plots had significantly increased 1-h fuels (11.8 vs 9.8 tonnes ha -1 ) but not larger fuel classes (10-h and 100-h fuels). Owing to stem mortality, die-off plots had significantly greater standing dead wood mass (100 vs 10 tonnes ha -1 ), visible sky (hemispherical images analysis: 31 vs 23%) and potential near-ground solar radiation input (measured as Direct Site Factor: 0.52 vs 0.34). Supplemental mid-summer microclimate measurements (temperature, relative humidity and wind speed) were combined with long-term climatic data and fuel load estimates to parameterise fire behaviour models. Fire spread rates were predicted to be 30% greater in die-off plots with relatively equal contributions from fuels and microclimate, highlighting need for operational consideration by fire managers. Our results underscore potential for drought-induced tree die-off to interact with subsequent fire under climate change.

show abstract

Drought then wildfire reveals a compound disturbance in a resprouting forest

Walden

Fontaine

Ruthrof

et al. 2023

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The frequency and intensity of forest disturbances, such as drought and fire, are increasing globally, with an increased likelihood of multiple disturbance events occurring in short succession. Disturbances layered over one another may influence the likelihood or intensity of subsequent events (a linked disturbance) or impact response and recovery trajectories (a compound disturbance), with substantial implications for ecological spatiotemporal vulnerability. This study evaluates evidence for disturbance interactions of drought followed by wildfire in a resprouting eucalypt‐dominated forest (the Northern Jarrah Forest) in southwestern Australia. Sites were stratified by drought (high, low), from previous modeling and ground validation, and fire severity (high, moderate, unburnt), via remote sensing using the relative difference normalized burn ratio (RdNBR). Evidence of a linked disturbance was assessed via fine fuel consumption and fire severity. Compound disturbance effects were quantified at stand scale (canopy height, quadratic mean diameter, stem density) and stem scale (mortality). There was no evidence of prior drought influencing fine fuel consumption or fire severity and, hence, no evidence of a linked disturbance. However, compound disturbance effects were evident; stands previously affected by drought experienced smaller shifts in canopy height, quadratic mean diameter, and stem density than stands without prior drought impact. At the stem scale, size and fire severity were the strongest determinants of stem survival. Proportional resprouting height was greater in high drought sites than in low drought sites (p < 0.01), meaning, structurally, the low drought stands decreased in height more than the high drought stands. Thus, a legacy of the drought was evident after the wildfire. Although these resprouting eucalypt forests have been regarded as particularly resilient, this study illustrates how multiple disturbances can overwhelm the larger tree component and promote an abundance of smaller stems. We suggest that this is early evidence of a structural destabilization of these forests under a more fire‐prone, hotter, and drier future climate.

show abstract

Sequential Disturbance Effects of Hailstorm and Fire on Vegetation in a Mediterranean-Type Ecosystem

Cited by 15 publications

References 58 publications

Cumulative effects of fire and drought in Mediterranean ecosystems

Cumulative effects of fire and drought in Mediterranean ecosystems

How drought-induced forest die-off alters microclimate and increases fuel loadings and fire potentials

Drought then wildfire reveals a compound disturbance in a resprouting forest

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About