Fuel characteristics, loads and consumption in Scots pine forests of central Siberia

Forest fuel investigations in central and southern Siberian taiga of Scots pine forest stands dominated by lichen and feather moss ground vegetation cover revealed that total aboveground biomass varied from 13.1 to 21.0 kg/m(2). Stand biomass was higher in plots in the southern taiga, while ground fuel loads were higher in the central taiga. We developed equations for fuel biomass (both aerial and ground) that could be applicable to similar pine forest sites of Central Siberia. Fuel loading variability found among plots is related to the impact and recovery time since the last wildfire and the mosaic distribution of living vegetation. Fuel consumption due to surface fires of low to high-intensities ranged from 0.95 to 3.08 kg/m(2), that is, 18-74% from prefire values. The total amount of fuels available to burn in case of fire was up to 4.5-6.5 kg/m(2). Moisture content of fuels (litter, lichen, feather moss) was related to weather conditions characterized by the Russian Fire Danger Index (PV-1) and FWI code of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. The data obtained provide a strong foundation for understanding and modeling fire behavior, emissions, and fire effects on ecosystem processes and carbon stocks and could be used to improve existing global and regional models that incorporate biomass and fuel characteristics.