Time series analysis of forest carbon dynamics: recovery of Pinus palustris physiology following a prescribed fire

Starr, Gregory; Staudhammer, Christina L.; Loescher, Henry W.; Mitchell, Robert J.; Whelan, Andrew W.; Hiers, J. Kevin; O’Brien, Joseph J.

doi:10.1007/s11056-014-9447-3

Cited by 36 publications

(49 citation statements)

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“…This is certainly important in low-intensity surface fire regimes (Mitchell et al 2009, Hurteau andBrooks 2011) for estimating carbon and species dynamics through time. These are difficult to estimate because when burn intervals are short (1-to 3-yr return time), post-fire understory and midstory re-growth and regeneration are quick (Starr et al 2015), and overstory survival is high (Glitzenstein et al 1995), though long-term implications exist if fire return intervals increase to within a decade or more (Hartnett and Krofta 1989, Kirkman et al 2004, Slack et al 2016). The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem of the southeastern coastal plain of the United States is an archetype of a forest with a frequent surface fire regime ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying carbon and species dynamics under different fire regimes in a southeastern U.S. pineland

et al. 2019

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Forests have a prominent role in carbon sequestration and storage. Climate change and anthropogenic forcing have altered the dominant characteristics of some forested ecosystems through changes to their disturbance regimes, particularly fire. Ecosystems that historically burned frequently, like pinelands in the southeastern United States, risk changes in their structure and function when the fire regime they require is altered. Although the carbon storage potential in an unburned southeastern U.S. forest would be larger, this scenario is unrealistic due to the likelihood of wildfire. Additionally, fire exclusion can have negative consequences on these forests health, biodiversity, and species endemism. There is a need, specifically for the southeast, to estimate carbon and species dynamics based on the differences between various fire regimes, and particularly the differences between prescribed fire and wildfire. These are important factors to consider given that prescribed fire is a common tool used in the southeast, and wildfires are ever more present. Field data from an experimental Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) forest of southwest Georgia were used to parametrize the forest landscape model LANDIS-II. The model simulated how carbon and species dynamics differ under a fire exclusion, a prescribed fire, and multiple wildfire scenarios. All scenarios except fire exclusion resulted in net emissions to the atmosphere, but prescribed fire produced the least carbon emissions from fire and maintained the most stable aboveground biomass compared to wildfire scenarios. Removing fire for approximately a century was necessary to obtain an average stand-level biomass greater than that of prescribed fire and net emissions less than that of prescribed fire. The prescribed fire scenario produced a longleaf pine-dominated forest, the exclusion scenario converted to predominantly oak species Quercus virginiana (live oak), Q. stellata (post oak), and Q. margaretta (sand post oak), while scenarios with intermediate wildfire regimes supported a mix of other fire-facilitator hardwoods and pine species, such as Q. incana (bluejack oak) and Pinus elliotti (slash pine). Overall, this study supports prescribed fire regimes in southeastern U.S. pinelands to both minimize carbon emissions and preserve native biodiversity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying carbon and species dynamics under different fire regimes in a southeastern U.S. pineland

et al. 2019

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“…Fires were initiated 30-50 m apart depending on fuel patterns, local weather conditions, and fire behavior [33]. We limit our discussion of fire in this manuscript due to the short-duration, limited response these systems have shown to fire [20]. …”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A covariate was also included to indicate if the 30-day moving window included prescribed fire within 30 days. This fire recovery period was employed, as previous results have shown the effects of fire are minimal on carbon dynamics after this point [20]. In addition, a covariate for average temperature during the 30-day period was included as a proxy for seasonal effects.…”

Section: Data Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…)-dominated forests within the Southeastern United States (SEUS), to better understand their carbon dynamics [18][19][20]. The longleaf pine forest is an excellent example of how placement of a stand within the landscape has led to variation in structure and function, particularly when influenced by water limitations [21][22][23][24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These earlier studies showed that drought played a larger role in controlling the carbon dynamics of these forests compared to prescribed fire. Fire's effect on these systems was limited to~30 days post-fire [20], after which, carbon uptake retuned to pre-fire rates. However, our earlier study also emphasized the need for longer-term studies that incorporate time series covering larger variations in climate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon Dynamics of Pinus palustris Ecosystems Following Drought

Starr

Staudhammer

Wiesner

et al. 2016

Forests

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Drought can affect forest structure and function at various spatial and temporal scales. Forest response and recovery from drought may be a result of position within landscape. Longleaf pine forests in the United States have been observed to reduce their carbon sequestration capacity during drought. We collected eddy covariance data at the ends of an edaphic longleaf pine gradient (xeric and mesic sites) over seven years; two years of normal rainfall were followed by 2.5 years of drought, then 2.5 years of normal or slightly above-average rainfall. Drought played a significant role in reducing the physiological capacity of the sites and was compounded when prescribed fire occurred during the same periods. The mesic site has a 40% greater basal area then the xeric site, which accounts for its larger sequestration capacity; however, both sites show the same range of variance in fluxes over the course of the study. Following drought, both sites became carbon sinks. However, the xeric site had a longer carry-over effect and never returned to pre-drought function. Although this study encompassed seven years, we argue that longer studies with greater spatial variance must be undertaken to develop a more comprehensive understanding of forest response to changing climate.

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Intermediate time scale response of atmospheric CO₂ following prescribed fire in a longleaf pine forest

et al. 2016

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Fire plays an essential role in maintaining the structure and function of longleaf pine ecosystems. While the effects of fire on carbon cycle have been measured in previous studies for short periods during a burn and for multiyear periods following the burn, information on how carbon cycle is influenced by such changes over the span of a few weeks to months has yet to be quantified. We have analyzed high‐frequency measurements of CO2 concentration and flux, as well as associated micrometeorological variables, at three levels of the tall Aiken AmeriFlux tower during and after a prescribed burn. Measurements of the CO2 concentration and vertical fluxes were examined as well as calculated net ecosystem exchange (NEE) for periods prior to and after the burn. Large spikes in both CO2 concentration and CO2 flux during the fire and increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration and reduced CO2 flux were observed for several weeks following the burn, particularly below the forest canopy. Both CO2 measurements and NEE were found to return to their preburn states within 60–90 days following the burn when no statistical significance was found between preburn and postburn NEE. This study examines the micrometeorological conditions during a low‐intensity prescribed burn and its short‐term effects on local CO2 dynamics in a forested environment by identifying observable impacts on local measurements of atmospheric CO2 concentration and fluxes.

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Time series analysis of forest carbon dynamics: recovery of Pinus palustris physiology following a prescribed fire

Cited by 36 publications

References 54 publications

Quantifying carbon and species dynamics under different fire regimes in a southeastern U.S. pineland

Quantifying carbon and species dynamics under different fire regimes in a southeastern U.S. pineland

Carbon Dynamics of Pinus palustris Ecosystems Following Drought

Intermediate time scale response of atmospheric CO₂ following prescribed fire in a longleaf pine forest

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Time series analysis of forest carbon dynamics: recovery of Pinus palustris physiology following a prescribed fire

Cited by 36 publications

References 54 publications

Quantifying carbon and species dynamics under different fire regimes in a southeastern U.S. pineland

Quantifying carbon and species dynamics under different fire regimes in a southeastern U.S. pineland

Carbon Dynamics of Pinus palustris Ecosystems Following Drought

Intermediate time scale response of atmospheric CO2 following prescribed fire in a longleaf pine forest

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Intermediate time scale response of atmospheric CO₂ following prescribed fire in a longleaf pine forest