Arctic tundra fires: natural variability and responses to climate change

Anthropogenic climate change may result in novel disturbances to Arctic tundra ecosystems. Understanding the natural variability of tundra-fire regimes and their linkages to climate is essential in evaluating whether tundra burning has increased in recent years. Historical observations and charcoal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in ecology and the environment Vol. 13; no. 7; pp. 369 - 377
Main Authors: Hu, Feng Sheng, Higuera, Philip E, Duffy, Paul, Chipman, Melissa L, Rocha, Adrian V, Young, Adam M, Kelly, Ryan, Dietze, Michael C
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Ecological Society of America 01.09.2015
Subjects:
Arctic tundra
burning
carbon
charcoal
Climate change
Ecoregions
ecosystems
Fire ecology
fire regime
fires
issues and policy
lakes
managers
Marine ecosystems
Paleoclimatology
Permafrost
REVIEWS
sediments
summer
temperature
Terrestrial ecosystems
tundra
Tundras
Vegetation
PN, Arctic
ISSN:1540-9295, 1540-9309
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Anthropogenic climate change may result in novel disturbances to Arctic tundra ecosystems. Understanding the natural variability of tundra-fire regimes and their linkages to climate is essential in evaluating whether tundra burning has increased in recent years. Historical observations and charcoal records from lake sediments reveal a wide range of fire regimes in Arctic tundra, with fire-return intervals varying from decades to millennia. Analysis of historical data shows strong climate-fire relationships, with threshold effects of summer temperature and precipitation. Projections based on 21st-century climate scenarios suggest that annual area burned will approximately double in Alaskan tundra by the end of the century. Fires can release ancient carbon from tundra ecosystems and catalyze other biogeochemical and biophysical changes, with local to global consequences. Given the increased likelihood of tundra burning in coming decades, land managers and policy makers need to consider the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of fire in the Far North.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/150063
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ISSN:1540-9295
1540-9309
DOI:10.1890/150063