Estimates of carbon emissions from forest fires in Japan, 1979–2008
Yoshiaki Goto A B and Satoru Suzuki A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan.
B Corresponding author. Email: gotyos@ffpri.affrc.go.jp
International Journal of Wildland Fire 22(6) 721-729 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF12103
Submitted: 2 July 2012 Accepted: 22 December 2012 Published: 15 April 2013
Abstract
Emissions from forest fires directly affect the global and regional carbon cycles by increasing atmospheric carbon as well as affecting carbon sequestration by forests. We have estimated the release of total carbon, carbon-based trace gases (CO2, CO, CH4) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) emitted from forest fires in Japan during a 30-year period from 1979 through 2008. The area burnt varied widely from year to year but has gradually diminished since the 1980s. The mean annual area burnt during the period was 1878 ha. The mean annual estimate of direct carbon emissions from forest fires in Japan was 15.8 Gg C year–1 and ranged between 2.7 and 60.4 Gg C year–1. The mean annual trace gas emissions were 49.4 Gg CO2 year–1, 3.4 Gg CO year–1, 0.15 Gg CH4 year–1 and 0.18 Gg NMHC year–1. Although the carbon emissions varied widely from year to year based on the area burnt, they decreased dramatically from the 1980s onward. The interannual variations in trace gases parallel the total carbon emissions. The direct emissions from forest fires in Japan were substantially lower compared with the mean annual net primary production of Japanese forests or the carbon release in other countries and regions. However, the average annual carbon released per unit area burnt was comparable to that estimated in other regions and rose gradually with the increasing age of plantations.
References
Amiro BD, Todd JB, Wotton BM, Logan KA, Flannigan MD, Stocks BJ, Mason JA, Martell DL, Hirsch KG (2001) Direct carbon emissions from Canadian forest fires, 1959–1999. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 31, 512–525.| Direct carbon emissions from Canadian forest fires, 1959–1999.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXjtVKrs7Y%3D&md5=9224d8390642c733388d5a1c618f2724CAS |
Amiro BD, Flannigan MD, Stocks BJ, Wotton BM (2002) Perspectives on carbon emissions from Canadian forest fires. Forestry Chronicle 78, 388–390.
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=afef60a3931c4b0f8478bd0c159f0d59CAS |
Andreae MO, Merlet P (2001) Emission of trace gases and aerosols from biomass burning. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 15, 955–966.
| Emission of trace gases and aerosols from biomass burning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XjtV2iuw%3D%3D&md5=97bbef209e6448c582d57158ccda567eCAS |
Auclair AND, Carter TB (1993) Forest wildfires as a recent source of CO2 at northern latitude. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 23, 1528–1536.
| Forest wildfires as a recent source of CO2 at northern latitude.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXjtVers7k%3D&md5=18b31ffc7adb86ebe6d8e279517e3593CAS |
Conard SG, Sukhinin AI, Stocks BJ, Cahoon DR, Davidenko EP, Ivanova GA (2002) Determining effects of area burned and fire severity on carbon cycling and emissions in Siberia. Climatic Change 55, 197–211.
| Determining effects of area burned and fire severity on carbon cycling and emissions in Siberia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XntVKqt7o%3D&md5=1bff48c006825ab887336aadd29696d2CAS |
DeBano LF, Neary DG, Ffolliott PF (1998) ‘Fire’s Effects on Ecosystems.’ (Wiley: New York)
Duncan BN, Martin RV, Staudt AC, Yevich R, Logan JA (2003) Interannual and seasonal variability of biomass burning emissions constrained by satellite observations. Journal of Geophysical Research 108, 4100
| Interannual and seasonal variability of biomass burning emissions constrained by satellite observations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fire and Disaster Management Agency (2009) Annual report on fire and disaster management in Japan, fiscal year 2009. (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Tokyo)
Flannigan MD, Bergeron Y, Engelmark O, Wotton BM (1998) Future wildfire in circumboreal forests in relation to global warming. Journal of Vegetation Science 9, 469–476.
| Future wildfire in circumboreal forests in relation to global warming.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Flannigan MD, Logan KA, Amiro BD, Skinner WR (2005) Future area burned in Canada. Climatic Change 72, 1–16.
| Future area burned in Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXhtVyisrzM&md5=7a61142b0bde56dc780bace2b210a620CAS |
Forestry Agency (1996) Forestry status survey. (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Tokyo)
Forestry Agency (2010) Annual report on trends in forest and forestry in Japan, fiscal year 2009. (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries:Tokyo) Available at http://www.maff.go.jp/e/index.html [Verified 7 June 2012]
French NHF, Kasischke ES, Williams DG (2003) Variability in the emission of carbon-based trace gases from wildfire in the Alaskan boreal forest. Journal of Geophysical Research 108, 8151
| Variability in the emission of carbon-based trace gases from wildfire in the Alaskan boreal forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
French NHF, Goovaerts P, Kaischke ES (2004) Uncertainty in estimating carbon emissions from boreal forest fires. Journal of Geophysical Research 109, D14S08
| Uncertainty in estimating carbon emissions from boreal forest fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Goto Y, Tamai K, Miyama T, Kominami Y (2005) Forest fire intensity in Japan: estimation of Byram’s fireline intensity using Rothermel’s fire spread model. Journal of the Japanese Forest Society 87, 193–201.
| Forest fire intensity in Japan: estimation of Byram’s fireline intensity using Rothermel’s fire spread model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hicke JA, Asner GP, Kasischke ES, French NHF, Randerson JT, Collatz GJ, Stocks BJ, Tucker CJ, Los SO, Feild CB (2003) Postfire response of North American boreal forest net primary productivity analyzed with satellite observations. Global Change Biology 9, 1145–1157.
| Postfire response of North American boreal forest net primary productivity analyzed with satellite observations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hoelzemann JJ, Schultz MG, Brasseur GP, Granier C (2004) Global wildland fire emission model (GWEM): evaluating the use of global area burnt satellite data. Journal of Geophysical Research 109, D14S04
| Global wildland fire emission model (GWEM): evaluating the use of global area burnt satellite data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
IPCC (2003) Good practice guidance for land use, land-use change and forestry. (IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme: Hayama) Available at http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/gpglulucf/gpglulucf.html [Verified 7 June 2012]
Iwaki H (1981) Geographical distribution of phytomass on Japan. Environmental in Information Science 10, 54–61.
Jain AK, Tao Z, Yang X, Gillespie C (2006) Estimates of global biomass emissions for reactive greenhouse gases (CO, NMHCs, and NOx) and CO2. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, D06304
| Estimates of global biomass emissions for reactive greenhouse gases (CO, NMHCs, and NOx) and CO2.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kasischke ES, Bruhwiler LP (2003) Emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane from boreal forest fires in 1998. Journal of Geophysical Research 108, 8146
| Emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane from boreal forest fires in 1998.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kasischke ES, Christensen NL, Stocks BJ (1995) Fire, global warming, and the carbon balance of boreal forests. Ecological Applications 5, 437–451.
| Fire, global warming, and the carbon balance of boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kurz WA, Apps MJ (1999) A 70-year retrospective analysis of carbon fluxes in the Canadian forest sector. Ecological Applications 9, 526–547.
| A 70-year retrospective analysis of carbon fluxes in the Canadian forest sector.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liu Y, Stanturf J, Goodrick S (2010) Trends in global wildfire potential in a changing climate. Forest Ecology and Management 259, 685–697.
| Trends in global wildfire potential in a changing climate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lü A, Tian H, Liu M, Liu J, Melillo JM (2006) Spatial and temporal patterns of carbon emissions from forest fires in China from 1950–2000. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, D05313
| Spatial and temporal patterns of carbon emissions from forest fires in China from 1950–2000.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Meteorological Agency, Ministry of the Environment of Japan (2009) Climate change and its impacts in Japan. Synthesis report on observations, projections, and impact assessments of climate change. (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Meteorological Agency, Ministry of the Environment: Tokyo) Available at http://www.env.go.jp/en/earth/cc/report_impacts.pdf [Verified 7 June 2012]
Ministry of the Environment of Japan (2010) National greenhouse gas inventory report of Japan, April 2010. National Institute for Environmental Studies: Tsukuba, Japan) Available at http://www-gio.nies.go.jp/aboutghg/nir/nir-e.html [Verified 12 February 2013]
Nakagoshi N, Nehira K, Takahashi F (1987) The role of fire in pine forests of Japan. In ‘The Role of Fire in Ecological Systems’. (Ed. L Trabaud) pp. 91–119. (Academic Publishing: The Hague)
Narayan C, Fernandes PM, van Brusselen J, Schuck A (2007) Potential for CO2 emissions mitigation in Europe through prescribed burning in the context of the Kyoto Protocol. Forest Ecology and Management 251, 164–173.
| Potential for CO2 emissions mitigation in Europe through prescribed burning in the context of the Kyoto Protocol.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Omasa K, Kai K, Taoda H, Uchijima Z, Yoshino M (1996) ‘Climate Change and Plants in East Asia’. (Springer: Tokyo)
Podur J, Martell DL, Knight K (2002) Statistical quality control analysis of forest fire activity in Canada. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 32, 195–205.
| Statistical quality control analysis of forest fire activity in Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Satoh K (2005) Human causes affecting forest fire danger rating. In ‘Proceedings of Fifth NRIFD Symposium – International Symposium on Forest Fire Protection’, 30 November–2 December 2005, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. pp. 91–105. (National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster: Tokyo)
Seiler W, Crutzen PJ (1980) Estimates of gross and net fluxes of carbon between the biosphere and the atmosphere from biomass burning. Climatic Change 2, 207–247.
| Estimates of gross and net fluxes of carbon between the biosphere and the atmosphere from biomass burning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL3cXlsFelt7c%3D&md5=18792b7c1e8a4368319a9ef89f3d95c6CAS |
Stocks BJ, Fosberg MA, Lynham TJ, Mearns L, Wotton BM, Yang Q, Lin J-Z, Lawrence K, Hartley GR, Mason JA, McKenney DW (1998) Climate change and forest fire potential in Russian and Canadian boreal forests. Climatic Change 38, 1–13.
| Climate change and forest fire potential in Russian and Canadian boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stocks BJ, Mason JA, Todd JB, Bosch EM, Wotton BM, Amiro BD, Flannigan MD, Hirsch KG, Logan KA, Martell DL, Skinner WR (2003) Large forest fires in Canada, 1959–1997. Journal of Geophysical Research 108, 8149
| Large forest fires in Canada, 1959–1997.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Suzuki S, Yoshitake T, Goto Y (2009) Values for forest damage caused by strong wind, heavy rain, snow and forest fire based on statistics compiled in Japan from fiscal year 1954 to 2003. Bulletin of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute 410, 71–100.
Tadaki Y (1976) Biomass of forests, with special reference to the leaf biomass of forests in Japan. Journal of the Japanese Forest Society 58, 416–423.
van der Werf GR, Randerson JT, Giglio L, Collatz GJ, Kasibhatla PS, Arellano AF (2006) Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 6, 3423–3441.
| Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XhtV2hs7nI&md5=ddaaf769f47cfa7038c813e37ec5fbfcCAS |
Ward D (2001) Combustion chemistry and smoke. In ‘Forest Fires: Behavior and Ecological Effects’. (Eds ED Johnson, K Miyanishi) pp. 55–77. (Academic Press: San Diego, CA)
Whelan RJ (1995) ‘The Ecology and Fire.’ (Cambridge University Press: New York)
Zhang Y-H, Wooster MJ, Tutubalina O, Perry GLW (2003) Monthly burned area and forest fire carbon emission estimates for the Russian Federation from SPOT VGT. Remote Sensing of Environment 87, 1–15.
| Monthly burned area and forest fire carbon emission estimates for the Russian Federation from SPOT VGT.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
