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Climate change is intensifying the fire regime across Siberia, with the potential to alter carbon combustion and post‐fire carbon re‐accumulation trajectories. Few field‐based estimates of fire severity (e.g., carbon combustion and tree mortality) exist in Siberian larch forests (Larixspp.), which limits our ability to project how an intensified fire regime will affect regional and global climate feedbacks. Here, we present field‐based estimates of fire‐induced tree mortality and carbon loss in eastern Siberian larch forests. Our results suggest that fires in this region result in high tree mortality (means of 83% and 76% at Arctic and subarctic sites, respectively). In both absolute and relative terms, aboveground carbon loss following fire is higher in Siberian larch forests than in North America, but belowground carbon loss is considerably lower. This suggests fundamental differences in wildfire behavior and carbon dynamics between dominant vegetation types across the boreal biome.
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This content will become publicly available on January 1, 2026
Methods to assess fire-induced tree mortality: review of fire behaviour proxy and real fire experiments
Background The increased interest in why and how trees die from fire has led to several syntheses of the potential mechanisms of fire-induced tree mortality. However, these generally neglect to consider experimental methods used to simulate fire behaviour conditions. Aims To describe, evaluate the appropriateness of and provide a historical timeline of the different approaches that have been used to simulate fire behaviour in fire-induced tree mortality studies. Methods We conducted a historical review of the different actual and fire proxy methods that have been used to further our understanding of fire-induced tree mortality. Key results Most studies that assess the mechanisms of fire-induced tree mortality in laboratory settings make use of fire proxies instead of real fires and use cut branches instead of live plants. Implications Further research should assess mechanisms of fire-induced tree mortality using live plants in paired combustion laboratory and landscape fire experiments.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2242769
- PAR ID:
- 10584968
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Publisher / Repository:
- CSIRO Publishing
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International Journal of Wildland Fire
- Volume:
- 34
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1049-8001
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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