Surface wildfires in central Amazonia: short-term impact on forest structure and carbon loss

被引:41
作者
Haugaasen, T [1 ]
Barlow, J [1 ]
Peres, CA [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ E Anglia, Sch Environm Sci, Ctr Ecol Evolut & Conservat, Norwich NR4 7TJ, Norfolk, England
关键词
aboveground biomass; carbon emissions; El Ninio; fire disturbance; global warming; surface fires;
D O I
10.1016/S0378-1127(02)00548-0
中图分类号
S7 [林业];
学科分类号
0829 ; 0907 ;
摘要
Changes in forest structure were examined 10-15 months after an unprecedented understorey wildfire burnt previously undisturbed primary forest in central Brazilian Amazonia, following the severe 1997-1998 El Nino dry season. On the basis of 20 0.25 ha plots (10 m x 250 m) in both burnt and unburnt forest, we found marked differences in the overall live biomass, canopy openness and understorey vegetation. On average, 36% of all trees equal to or greater than 10 cm DBH were found to be dead in the burnt forest, and there was also a near-complete mortality in all pre-burn saplings. Using an allometric equation to predict biomass mortality we estimate that the tree mortality rates found would commit an additional 25.5 t C/ha to be released from these BFs. The dramatic increase of aboveground dead biomass in BF is of major global concern because of the increased flux Of CO2 to the atmosphere, which has a role in enhancing the greenhouse effect and promoting climate change. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:321 / 331
页数:11
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