Carbon loss from planned fires in southeastern Australian dry eucalyptus forests

L Volkova; CJ Weston

Journal article

Carbon loss from planned fires in southeastern Australian dry eucalyptus forests

L Volkova, CJ Weston

Forest Ecology and Management | ELSEVIER | Published : 2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2014.10.018

Abstract

This study reports the immediate impact of planned fires on carbon distribution and storage in six forest types of south-eastern Australia. Aboveground carbon (AGC) ranged from 56 to 183MgCha-1 where between 4 and 11Mgha-1 (or 6% of AGC) was lost in planned fire. Between 3.6 and 5MgCha-1 was redistributed within the forest to the soil surface as char and partly combusted organic matter. Most carbon was lost from litter while near surface vegetation and dead trees either standing or lying were the next largest C loss groups. Overstorey tree biomass (MgCha-1) was a significant predictor of carbon loss in major fuel categories, explaining 45% of total carbon loss. The loss of coarse woody debri..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Luba Volkova Author

Christopher Weston Author

Related Projects (1)

FIRES,BLACK CARBON, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND THE CARBON BALANCE OF SOUTHERN SCLEROPHYLL FORESTS

Ecologically sustainable forest management requires an understanding of the role of fire in the carbon balance of native forests, and in Aus..

Grants

Awarded by Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre

Funding Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre and Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP100200825 for research funding. In particular, we would like to thank land managers from DEPI, Victoria; Mike Wouters, DEWNR, South Australia; Neil Cooper and Adam Leavesley, ACT Parks and Conservation Service; Garth Bennett, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, and Peter Leeson, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for support with study site selection, establishment and measurement as well as coordination with their planned burning.