Declining fires in Larix-dominated forests in northern Irkutsk district

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Autorschaft

  • Tuomo Wallenius
  • Markku Larjavaara
  • Juha Heikkinen
  • Olga Shibistova

Externe Organisationen

  • Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Universität Helsinki
  • Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)
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Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)248-254
Seitenumfang7
FachzeitschriftInternational Journal of Wildland Fire
Jahrgang20
Ausgabenummer2
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2011

Abstract

To study the poorly known fire history of Larix-dominated forest in central Siberia, we collected samples from 200 trees in 46 systematically located study plots. Our study area stretches ∼90km from north to south along the River Nizhnyaya Tunguska in northern Irkustk district. Cross-dated tree-ring chronology for all samples combined extended from the year 1360 AD to the present and included 76 fire years and 88 separate fire events. Average fire cycle gradually lengthened from 52 years in the 18th century to 164 years in the 20th century. During the same time, the number of recorded fires decreased even more steeply, i.e. by more than 85%. Fires were more numerous but smaller in the past. Contrary to expectations, climate change in the 20th century has not resulted in increased forest fires in this region. Fire suppression may have contributed to the scarcity of fires since the 1950s. However, a significant decline in fires was evident earlier; therefore an additional explanation is required, a reduction in human-caused ignitions being likely in the light of historical accounts.

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Declining fires in Larix-dominated forests in northern Irkutsk district. / Wallenius, Tuomo; Larjavaara, Markku; Heikkinen, Juha et al.
in: International Journal of Wildland Fire, Jahrgang 20, Nr. 2, 2011, S. 248-254.

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Wallenius, T, Larjavaara, M, Heikkinen, J & Shibistova, O 2011, 'Declining fires in Larix-dominated forests in northern Irkutsk district', International Journal of Wildland Fire, Jg. 20, Nr. 2, S. 248-254. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF10020
Wallenius T, Larjavaara M, Heikkinen J, Shibistova O. Declining fires in Larix-dominated forests in northern Irkutsk district. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 2011;20(2):248-254. doi: 10.1071/WF10020
Wallenius, Tuomo ; Larjavaara, Markku ; Heikkinen, Juha et al. / Declining fires in Larix-dominated forests in northern Irkutsk district. in: International Journal of Wildland Fire. 2011 ; Jahrgang 20, Nr. 2. S. 248-254.
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abstract = "To study the poorly known fire history of Larix-dominated forest in central Siberia, we collected samples from 200 trees in 46 systematically located study plots. Our study area stretches ∼90km from north to south along the River Nizhnyaya Tunguska in northern Irkustk district. Cross-dated tree-ring chronology for all samples combined extended from the year 1360 AD to the present and included 76 fire years and 88 separate fire events. Average fire cycle gradually lengthened from 52 years in the 18th century to 164 years in the 20th century. During the same time, the number of recorded fires decreased even more steeply, i.e. by more than 85%. Fires were more numerous but smaller in the past. Contrary to expectations, climate change in the 20th century has not resulted in increased forest fires in this region. Fire suppression may have contributed to the scarcity of fires since the 1950s. However, a significant decline in fires was evident earlier; therefore an additional explanation is required, a reduction in human-caused ignitions being likely in the light of historical accounts.",
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PY - 2011

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