Implications of fires on carbon budgets in Andean cloud montane forest: The importance of peat soils and tree resprouting

Roman-Cuesta, Rosa María; Salinas, Norma; Asbjornsen, Heidi; Oliveras, Imma; Huamán, Vicky; Gutiérrez, Yamel Álvarez; Puelles, L.; Kala, Jose; Yabar, D.; Rojas, M. Muñoz; Astete, Roly Baldoceda; Jordán, D.Y.; Silman, Miles R.; Mosandl, R.; Weber, Michael T.; Stimm, Bernd; Günter, Sven; Knoke, Thomas; Malhi, Yadvinder

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.02.025

Cited by 49 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 71 publications

(88 reference statements)

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“…Current agriculture, grazing and burning practices in the border paramo/EMF and puna/EMF have already degraded many of these natural areas [26], [43], [47]. These practices have a strong influence on the present-day upper forest line on the Andes, and are likely also to have a critical role in controlling EMF upslope displacement under climate change scenarios [48], [49]. Upslope migration of the upper boundary is not only constrained by land use change but also by habitat fragmentation [50], [51], which might especially affect microrefugial expansion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diverging Responses of Tropical Andean Biomes under Future Climate Conditions

et al. 2013

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Observations and projections for mountain regions show a strong tendency towards upslope displacement of their biomes under future climate conditions. Because of their climatic and topographic heterogeneity, a more complex response is expected for biodiversity hotspots such as tropical mountain regions. This study analyzes potential changes in the distribution of biomes in the Tropical Andes and identifies target areas for conservation. Biome distribution models were developed using logistic regressions. These models were then coupled to an ensemble of 8 global climate models to project future distribution of the Andean biomes and their uncertainties. We analysed projected changes in extent and elevational range and identified regions most prone to change. Our results show a heterogeneous response to climate change. Although the wetter biomes exhibit an upslope displacement of both the upper and the lower boundaries as expected, most dry biomes tend to show downslope expansion. Despite important losses being projected for several biomes, projections suggest that between 74.8% and 83.1% of the current total Tropical Andes will remain stable, depending on the emission scenario and time horizon. Between 3.3% and 7.6% of the study area is projected to change, mostly towards an increase in vertical structure. For the remaining area (13.1%–17.4%), there is no agreement between model projections. These results challenge the common believe that climate change will lead to an upslope displacement of biome boundaries in mountain regions. Instead, our models project diverging responses, including downslope expansion and large areas projected to remain stable. Lastly, a significant part of the area expected to change is already affected by land use changes, which has important implications for management. This, and the inclusion of a comprehensive uncertainty analysis, will help to inform conservation strategies in the Tropical Andes, and to guide similar assessments for other tropical mountains.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diverging Responses of Tropical Andean Biomes under Future Climate Conditions

et al. 2013

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“…G ef values for the different vegetation types were obtained from Andreae and Merlet [], while C f was obtained from direct field observations in the study area (Oliveras, unpublished data, 2014) and from Román‐Cuesta et al . [] for forest values. To account for the uncertainty surrounding this parameter, we provide emissions estimates for three different combustion completeness values: live forest biomass burning only (0.1), live and dead biomass burning (0.57), and live, dead, roots, and soil burning (0.74) (Table ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of remote sensing to understanding fire regimes and biomass burning emissions of the tropical Andes

Oliveras

Anderson

Malhi

2014

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

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In the tropical Andes, there have been very few systematic studies aimed at understanding the biomass burning dynamics in the area. This paper seeks to advance on our understanding of burning regimes in this region, with the first detailed and comprehensive assessment of fire occurrence and the derived gross biomass burning emissions of an area of the Peruvian tropical Andes. We selected an area of 2.8 million hectares at altitudes over 2000 m. We analyzed fire occurrence over a 12 year period with three types of satellite data. Fire dynamics showed a large intra-annual and interannual variability, with most fires occurring May-October (the period coinciding with the dry season). Total area burned decreased with increasing rainfall until a given rainfall threshold beyond which no relationship was found. The estimated fire return interval (FRI) for the area is 37 years for grasslands, which is within the range reported for grasslands, and 65 years for forests, which is remarkably shorter than other reported FRI in tropical moist forests. The greatest contribution (60-70%, depending on the data source) to biomass burning emissions came from burned montane cloud forests (4.5 million Mg CO 2 over the study period), despite accounting for only 7.4-10% of the total burned area. Gross aboveground biomass emissions (7.55 ± 2.14 Tg CO 2 ; 0.43 ± 0.04 Tg CO; 24,012 ± 2685 Mg CH 4 for the study area) were larger than previously reported for the tropical Andes.

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“…There is, however, growing concern regarding the sustainability of the current land use, and fire is generally seen by the authorities as purely destructive to the heathland ecosystem. These concerns might become further augmented by upcoming carbon storage issues (Roman-Cuesta et al 2011). In this perspective, a deeper understanding of the traditional fire management and its rationale should assist any future development towards a more participatory management system for the heathlands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tending for Cattle: Traditional Fire Management in Ethiopian Montane Heathlands

Johansson¹,

Fetene²,

Malmer³

et al. 2012

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Fire has long been a principal tool for manipulating ecosystems, notably for pastoralist cultures, but in modern times, fire use has often been a source of conflicts with state bureaucracies. Despite this, traditional fire management practices have rarely been examined from a perspective of fire behavior and fire effects, which hampers dialogue on management options. In order to analyze the rationale for fire use, its practical handling, and ecological effects in high-elevation ericaceous heathlands in Ethiopia, we used three different information sources: interviews with pastoralists, field observations of fires, and analysis of vegetation age structure at the landscape level. The interviews revealed three primary reasons for burning: increasing the grazing value, controlling a toxic caterpillar, and reducing predator attacks. Informants were well aware of critical factors governing fire behavior, such as slope, wind, vertical and horizontal fuel structure, and fuel moisture. Recent burns (1-4 years since fire) were used as firebreaks to control the size of individual burns, which resulted in a mosaic of vegetation of different ages. The age structure indicated an average fire return interval of ~10 years. At these elevations (> 3500 m), the dry period is unreliable, with occasional rains. Of all observed fires, 83% were ignited during very high Fire Weather Index levels, reached during only 11% of all days of the year. Burning is illegal, but if this ban was respected, our data suggest that the Erica shrubs would grow out of reach of cattle within a few years only, creating a dense and continuous canopy. This would also create a risk of large high-intensity wildfires since the landscape is virtually devoid of natural fuel breaks. Under the present management regime, this heathland ecosystem should be quite resilient to degradation by fire due to a relatively slow fuel buildup (limiting fire intervals) and an effective regrowth of Erica shoots. Nevertheless, if burning is done during severe drought, there may be a risk of smoldering fires killing the lignotubers. Given the intimate knowledge of fire behavior and fire effects among these pastoralists, it should be possible to develop a fire management plan that can sustain the present land use and ecosystem, and be sanctioned by both authorities and the local community.

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Implications of fires on carbon budgets in Andean cloud montane forest: The importance of peat soils and tree resprouting

Cited by 49 publications

References 71 publications

Diverging Responses of Tropical Andean Biomes under Future Climate Conditions

Diverging Responses of Tropical Andean Biomes under Future Climate Conditions

Application of remote sensing to understanding fire regimes and biomass burning emissions of the tropical Andes

Tending for Cattle: Traditional Fire Management in Ethiopian Montane Heathlands

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