Interactive effects of vegetation, soil moisture and bulk density on depth of burning of thick organic soils
B. W. Benscoter A E , D. K. Thompson B , J. M. Waddington B , M. D. Flannigan C D , B. M. Wotton C , W. J. de Groot C and M. R. Turetsky A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A University of Guelph, Department of Integrative Biology, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
B McMaster University, School of Geography and Earth Sciences, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
C Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste Marie, ON, P6A 2E5, Canada.
D University of Alberta, Department of Renewable Resources, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H1, Canada.
E Corresponding author. Present address: Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, 3200 College Avenue, Davie, FL 33314, USA. Email: brian.benscoter@fau.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 20(3) 418-429 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF08183
Submitted: 29 October 2008 Accepted: 8 September 2010 Published: 5 May 2011
Abstract
The boreal biome is characterised by extensive wildfires that frequently burn into the thick organic soils found in many forests and wetlands. Previous studies investigating surface fuel consumption generally have not accounted for variation in the properties of organic soils or how this affects the severity of fuel consumption. We experimentally altered soil moisture profiles of peat monoliths collected from several vegetation types common in boreal bogs and used laboratory burn tests to examine the effects of depth-dependent variation in bulk density and moisture on depth of fuel consumption. Depth of burning ranged from 1 to 17 cm, comparable with observations following natural wildfires. Individually, fuel bulk density and moisture were unreliable predictors of depth of burning. However, they demonstrated a cumulative influence on the thermodynamics of downward combustion propagation. By modifying Van Wagner’s surface fuel consumption model to account for stratigraphic changes in fuel conditions, we were able to accurately predict the maximum depth of fuel consumption for most of the laboratory burn tests. This modified model for predicting the depth of surface fuel consumption in boreal ecosystems may provide a useful framework for informing wildland fire management activities and guiding future development of operational fire behaviour and carbon emission models.
Additional keywords: bog, boreal, carbon, fire, ground-layer fuels, peat, peatland, smouldering, Sphagnum, surface fuel combustion.
References
Amiro BD, Cantin A, Flannigan MD, de Groot WJ (2009) Future emissions from Canadian boreal forest fires. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 39, 383–395.| Future emissions from Canadian boreal forest fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXjtlyms7k%3D&md5=5ea8c7adb2481987445d229aa56263d8CAS |
Benscoter BW, Vitt DH (2008) Spatial patterns and temporal trajectories of the bog ground layer along a post-fire chronosequence. Ecosystems 11, 1054–1064.
| Spatial patterns and temporal trajectories of the bog ground layer along a post-fire chronosequence.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Benscoter BW, Wieder RK (2003) Variability in organic matter lost by combustion in a boreal bog during the 2001 Chisholm fire. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 33, 2509–2513.
| Variability in organic matter lost by combustion in a boreal bog during the 2001 Chisholm fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Benscoter BW, Kelman-Wieder R, Vitt DH (2005a) Linking microtopography with post-fire succession in bogs. Journal of Vegetation Science 16, 453–460.
| Linking microtopography with post-fire succession in bogs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Benscoter BW, Vitt DH, Wieder RK (2005b) Association of post-fire peat accumulation and microtopography in boreal bogs. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35, 2188–2193.
| Association of post-fire peat accumulation and microtopography in boreal bogs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bisbee KE, Gower ST, Norman JM, Nordheim EV (2001) Environmental controls on ground cover species composition and productivity in a boreal black spruce forest. Oecologia 129, 261–270.
| Environmental controls on ground cover species composition and productivity in a boreal black spruce forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bond-Lamberty B, Wang C, Gower ST (2004) Net primary production and net ecosystem production of a boreal black spruce wildfire chronosequence. Global Change Biology 10, 473–487.
| Net primary production and net ecosystem production of a boreal black spruce wildfire chronosequence.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butler B, Cohen J (1998) Firefighter safety zones: a theoretical model. International Journal of Wildland Fire 8, 73–77.
| Firefighter safety zones: a theoretical model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Côté J, Konrad J-M (2005) A generalized thermal conductivity model for soils and constructed materials. Canadian Geotechnical Journal 42, 443–458.
| A generalized thermal conductivity model for soils and constructed materials.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fenton NJ, Bergeron Y (2006) Facilitative succession in a boreal bryophyte community driven by changes in available moisture and light. Journal of Vegetation Science 17, 65–76.
| Facilitative succession in a boreal bryophyte community driven by changes in available moisture and light.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Frandsen W (1987) The influence of moisture and mineral soil on the combustion limits of smoldering forest duff. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 17, 1540–1544.
| The influence of moisture and mineral soil on the combustion limits of smoldering forest duff.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Frandsen W (1991) Burning rate of smoldering peat. Northwest Science 65, 166–172..
Frandsen W (1997) Ignition probabilities of organic soils. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 27, 1471–1477.
| Ignition probabilities of organic soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Frandsen WH (1998) Heat flow measurements from smoldering porous fuel. International Journal of Wildland Fire 8, 137–145.
| Heat flow measurements from smoldering porous fuel.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gorham E (1994) The future of research in Canadian peatlands – a brief survey with particular reference to global change. Wetlands 14, 206–215.
| The future of research in Canadian peatlands – a brief survey with particular reference to global change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harden JW, Trumbore SE, Stocks BJ, Hirsch A, Gower S, O’Neill K, Kasischke ES (2000) The role of fire in the boreal carbon budget. Global Change Biology 6, 174–184.
| The role of fire in the boreal carbon budget.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hartford R (1989) Smoldering combustion limits in peat as influenced by moisture, mineral content, and organic bulk density. In ‘Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Fire and Forest Meteorology’, 17–21 April 1989, Ottawa, ON. (Eds D MacIver, H Auld, R Whitewood) pp. 282–286. (Forestry Canada, Petawawa National Forestry Institute, Chalk River, ON)
Incropera F, de Witt D (1990) ‘Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer.’ (Wiley: New York)
Johnson E (1992) ‘Fire and Vegetation Dynamics: Studies from the North American Boreal Forest.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Johnstone JF, Chapin FS (2006) Fire interval effects on successional trajectory in boreal forests of north-west Canada. Ecosystems 9, 268–277.
| Fire interval effects on successional trajectory in boreal forests of north-west Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnstone JF, Hollingsworth TN, Chapin FS, Mack MC (2010) Changes in fire regime break the legacy lock on successional trajectories in Alaskan boreal forest. Global Change Biology 16, 1281–1295.
| Changes in fire regime break the legacy lock on successional trajectories in Alaskan boreal forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jorgenson MT, Racine CH, Walters JC, Osterkamp TE (2001) Permafrost degradation and ecological changes associated with a warming climate in central Alaska. Climatic Change 48, 551–579.
| Permafrost degradation and ecological changes associated with a warming climate in central Alaska.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXitlCjtLo%3D&md5=21622a110bf5b5b8f2d2637deef281e7CAS |
Kasischke ES, Johnstone JF (2005) Variation in post-fire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35, 2164–2177.
| Variation in post-fire organic layer thickness in a black spruce forest complex in interior Alaska and its effects on soil temperature and moisture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kasischke ES, Turetsky MR (2006) Recent changes in the fire regime across the North American boreal region – spatial and temporal patterns of burning across Canada and Alaska. Geophysical Research Letters 33, L09703
| Recent changes in the fire regime across the North American boreal region – spatial and temporal patterns of burning across Canada and Alaska.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kasischke ES, Turetsky MR, Ottmar RD, French NHF, Hoy EE, Kane ES (2008) Evaluation of the composite burn index for assessing fire severity in Alaskan black spruce forests. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 515–526.
| Evaluation of the composite burn index for assessing fire severity in Alaskan black spruce forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kuhry P (1994) The role of fire in the development of Sphagnum-dominated peatlands in western boreal Canada. Journal of Ecology 82, 899–910.
| The role of fire in the development of Sphagnum-dominated peatlands in western boreal Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lawson BD, Frandsen W, Hawkes B, Dairymple G (1997) Probability of sustained smoldering ignition for some boreal forest duff types. Natural Resource Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, Forest Management Note 63. (Edmonton, AB)
Miyanishi K, Johnson EA (2002) Process and patterns of duff consumption in the mixedwood boreal forest. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 32, 1285–1295.
| Process and patterns of duff consumption in the mixedwood boreal forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Obrist D, Moosmüller H, Schürmann R, Antony Chen L-W, Kreidenweis S (2008) Particulate-phase and gaseous elemental mercury emissions during biomass combustion: controlling factors and correlation with particulate matter emissions. Environmental Science & Technology 42, 721–727.
| Particulate-phase and gaseous elemental mercury emissions during biomass combustion: controlling factors and correlation with particulate matter emissions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXhsVOntLbF&md5=a5406be49bbd82d999eb5a5f1b5f2b00CAS | 18323093PubMed |
Oke T (1987) ‘Boundary Layer Climates.’ (Routledge: London)
Reardon J, Hungerford R, Ryan K (2007) Factors affecting sustained smouldering in organic soils from pocosin and pond pine woodland wetlands. International Journal of Wildland Fire 16, 107–118.
| Factors affecting sustained smouldering in organic soils from pocosin and pond pine woodland wetlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rein G, Cleaver N, Ashton C, Pironi P, Torero J (2008) The severity of smouldering peat fires and damage to the forest soil. Catena 74, 304–309.
| The severity of smouldering peat fires and damage to the forest soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rein G, Cohen S, Simeoni A (2009) Carbon emissions from smouldering peat in shallow and strong fronts. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 32, 2489–2496.
| Carbon emissions from smouldering peat in shallow and strong fronts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXjvFyqsLw%3D&md5=afbd37ed5ecd12bf1b732f9e97582a2fCAS |
Robinson SD, Moore TR (2000) The influence of permafrost and fire upon carbon accumulation in high boreal peatlands, Northwest Territories, Canada. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 32, 155–166.
| The influence of permafrost and fire upon carbon accumulation in high boreal peatlands, Northwest Territories, Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rothermel R (1972) A mathematical model for predicting fire spread in wildland fuels. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Research Paper INT-115. (Ogden, UT)
Rydin H (1993) Mechanisms of interactions among Sphagnum species along water-level gradients. Advances in Bryology 5, 153–185..
Schneller MC, Frandsen WH (1998) A stirred water calorimeter for measuring heat flux from smoldering combustion. International Journal of Wildland Fire 8, 129–135.
| A stirred water calorimeter for measuring heat flux from smoldering combustion.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shetler G, Turetsky M, Kane ES, Kasischke ES (2008) Sphagnum mosses limit total carbon consumption during fire in Alaskan black spruce forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38, 2328–2336.
| Sphagnum mosses limit total carbon consumption during fire in Alaskan black spruce forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXptFynt7o%3D&md5=68c20754a0abf1df965de2b3a711a3e5CAS |
Turetsky MR (2004) Decomposition and organic matter quality in continental peatlands: the ghost of permafrost past. Ecosystems 7, 740–750.
| Decomposition and organic matter quality in continental peatlands: the ghost of permafrost past.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXisVKqsw%3D%3D&md5=a5167c4d1a6d20636ab6cd0de100f476CAS |
Turetsky MR, Wieder RK (2001) A direct approach to quantifying organic matter lost as a result of peatland wildfire. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 31, 363–366.
| A direct approach to quantifying organic matter lost as a result of peatland wildfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turetsky MR, Wieder K, Halsey L, Vitt D (2002) Current disturbance and the diminishing peatland carbon sink. Geophysical Research Letters 29, 1526
| Current disturbance and the diminishing peatland carbon sink.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turetsky MR, Amiro BD, Bosch E, Bhatti JS (2004) Historical burn area in western Canadian peatlands and its relationship to fire weather indices. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 18, GB4014
| Historical burn area in western Canadian peatlands and its relationship to fire weather indices.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turetsky MR, Harden JW, Friedli H, Flannigan MD, Payne N, Crock J, Radke L (2006) Wildfires threaten mercury stocks in northern soils. Geophysical Research Letters 33, L16403
| Wildfires threaten mercury stocks in northern soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turetsky MR, Crow SE, Evans RJ, Vitt DH, Wieder RK (2008) Trade-offs in resource allocation among moss species control decomposition in boreal peatlands. Journal of Ecology 96, 1297–1305.
| Trade-offs in resource allocation among moss species control decomposition in boreal peatlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Van Wagner CE (1972) Duff consumption by fire in eastern pine stands. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 2, 34–39.
| Duff consumption by fire in eastern pine stands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vitt D (2000) Peatlands: ecosystems dominated by bryophytes. In ‘Bryophyte Biology’. (Eds AJ Shaw, B Goffinet) pp. 312–343. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge: New York)
Vitt DH, Andrus RE (1977) Genus Sphagnum in Alberta. Canadian Journal of Botany 55, 331–357.
| Genus Sphagnum in Alberta.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vitt DH, Li YH, Belland RJ (1995) Patterns of bryophyte diversity in peatlands of continental western Canada. The Bryologist 98, 218–227.
| Patterns of bryophyte diversity in peatlands of continental western Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wein RW (1981) Characteristics and suppression of fires in organic terrain in Australia. Australian Forestry 44, 162–169..
Yokelson RJ, Goode JG, Ward DE, Susott RA, Babbitt RE, Wade DD, Bertschi I, Griffith DWT, Hao WM (1999) Emissions of formaldehyde, acetic acid, methanol, and other trace gases from biomass fires in North Carolina measured by airborne Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Geophysical Research 104, 30 109–30 125.
| Emissions of formaldehyde, acetic acid, methanol, and other trace gases from biomass fires in North Carolina measured by airborne Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXjvFOitQ%3D%3D&md5=f1b849d8e9d5333fb011cce5416b1acbCAS |
Zoltai S, Siltanen R, Johnson J (2000) A wetland database for the western boreal, subarctic, and arctic regions of Canada. Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, report NOR-X-368. (Edmonton, AB)
