Fuel characteristics, loads and consumption in Scots pine forests of central Siberia

Abstract

Forest fuel investigations in central and southern Siberian taiga of Scots pine forest stands dominated by lichen and feather moss ground vegetation cover revealed that total aboveground biomass varied from 13.1 to 21.0 kg/m². Stand biomass was higher in plots in the southern taiga, while ground fuel loads were higher in the central taiga. We developed equations for fuel biomass (both aerial and ground) that could be applicable to similar pine forest sites of Central Siberia. Fuel loading variability found among plots is related to the impact and recovery time since the last wildfire and the mosaic distribution of living vegetation. Fuel consumption due to surface fires of low to high-intensities ranged from 0.95 to 3.08 kg/m², that is, 18–74% from prefire values. The total amount of fuels available to burn in case of fire was up to 4.5–6.5 kg/m². Moisture content of fuels (litter, lichen, feather moss) was related to weather conditions characterized by the Russian Fire Danger Index (PV-1) and FWI code of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. The data obtained provide a strong foundation for understanding and modeling fire behavior, emissions, and fire effects on ecosystem processes and carbon stocks and could be used to improve existing global and regional models that incorporate biomass and fuel characteristics.

Keywords

Pinus sylvestris / Tree biomass / Surface and ground fuel loads / Fuel moisture / Fuel consumption

References

[1] Albini FA (1976) Estimating wildfire behavior and effects. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station General Technical Report INT-30, Ogden, UT, p 92

[2] Alexander ME, Stocks BJ, Lawson BD (1991) Fire behavior in black spruce-lichen woodland: the Porter Lake project. Forestry Canada, Northern Forestry Centre Information Report NOR-X-310, Edmonton, AB, p 44

[3] Amosov GA. Kurbatsky NP. Some trends of surface forest fire development. Forest fire occurrence, 1964, Moscow: Nauka Publications 167 179 (in Russian)

[4] Anderson HE (1982) Aids to determining fuel models for estimating fire behavior. General Technical Report INT-122. USDA FS, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, UT, p 22

[5] Anuchin NP. Forest inventory, 1982, Moscow: Forest Industry 552 (in Russian)

[6] Atkin AS. Phytomass and biological cycle in pine forests, 1984, Krasnoyarsk: IFandW SB AS USSR (in Russian)

[7] Bannikova IA. Influence of woody vegetation and small shrubs on subcanopy vegetation layer development, 1967, Moscow: Nauka Publications 104 (in Russian)

[8] Baranov NM. Kurbatsky NP. Forest fire danger in Baykal basin. Forest fire protection in Baykal Basin, 1976, Krasnoyarsk: VN Sukachev Institute of Forest Publications 12 28 (in Russian)

[9] Bartalev SA, Stytsenko FV, Egorov VA, Loupian EA. Satellite-based assessment of Russian forest fire mortality. Lesovedenie, 2015, 2: 83-94. (in Russian)

[10] Burgan RE, Rothermel RC (1984) Behave: fire behavior prediction and fuel modeling system—fuel subsystem. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. General Technical Report INT-167, Ogden, UT, p 126

[11] Buryak LV, Luzganov AG, Matveev PM, Kalenskaya OP. Impact of surface fires on the formation of light-coniferous forests of southern Central Siberia, 2003, SibSTU: Krasnoyarsk 206 (in Russian)

[12] Buryak LV, Sukhinin AI, Kalenskaya OP, Ponomarev EI. Effects of fires in ribbon-like pine forests of Southern Siberia. Contemp Problems Ecol, 2011, 4: 248-253.

[13] Byram GM. Davis KP. Combustion of forest fuels. Forest fire: control and use, 1959, New York: McGraw-Hill 61 89

[14] Canadian Forestry Service (1987) Tables for the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System, 4th ed. Canadian Forest Service Forest Technical Report No. 25, Ottawa, ON

[15] Chernykh VA, Furyaev VV. Forest fires in pine stands grown in belts of strips of Kulundinsk forest-steppe zone, 2011, Novosibirsk: Nauka 174 (in Russian)

[16] Davis KP. Forest fire: control and use, 1959, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. Inc. 584

[17] Deeming JE, Lancaster JW, Fosberg MA, Furman AW, Schroeder MJ (1972) The national fire-danger rating system. Research Paper RM-84, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Fort Collins, CO, p 165

[18] Elagin IN. Seasonal development of pine forest, 1976, Novosibirsk: Nauka Publications 226 (in Russian)

[19] FIRESCAN. Levine JS. Fire in ecosystems of boreal Eurasia: the Bor forest island fire experiment Fire Research Campaign Asia-North. Biomass burning and global change, 1996, Cambridge: MIT Press 848 873

[20] Forest Fund of Russia (1999) Data of State Forest Account, state by January 1, 1998 (1999) Reference book. All-Russian Research Center of Forest Resources, Moscow, p 649 (in Russian)

[21] Groisman P, Shugart H, Kicklighter D, Henebry G, Tchebakova N, Maksyutov S, Monier E, Gutman G, Gulev S, Qi J, Prishchepov A, Kukavskaya E, Porfiriev B, Shiklomanov A, Loboda T, Shiklomanov A, Loboda T, Shiklomanov N, Nghiem S, Bergen K, Albrechtova J, Chen J, Shahgedanova M, Shvidenko A, Speranskaya N, Soja A, de Beurs K, Bulygina O, McCarty J, Zhuang Q, Zolina O. Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the twenty-first century. Prog Earth Planet Sci, 2017

[22] Ivanova GA (2005) Vegetation zone-specific characteristics of Scots pine forest fires in central Siberia. Dr Biol. Thesis. VN Sukachev Institute of Forest Publishing, Krasnoyarsk, p 40 (in Russian)

[23] Ivanova GA, Perevoznikova VD. Postfire formation of living ground cover in pine stands of the Middle Angara region. Sib Ecol J, 1996, 1: 109-116. (in Russian)

[24] Ivanova GA, Kukavskaya EA, Conard SG, McRae DJ. Fire influence on carbon emission in Scots pine forests of central Siberia. Sib Ecol J, 2007, 6: 885-895. (in Russian)

[25] Ivanova GA, Conard SG, Kukavskaya EA, McRae DJ. Fire impact on carbon storage in light conifer forests of the Lower Angara region, Siberia. Environ Res Lett, 2011, 6: 045203.

[26] Johansson M-B. Decomposition rates of Scots pine needle litter related to site properties, litter, quality, and climate. Can J For Res, 1994, 24(9): 1771-1781.

[27] Konev EV. Physical fundamentals of vegetation material combustion, 1977, Novosibirsk: Nauka Publications 239 (in Russian)

[28] Korovin GN. Goldammer JG, Furyaev VV. Analysis of the distribution of forest fires in Russia. Fire in ecosystems of boreal Eurasia, 1996, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers 112 128

[29] Kovaleva NM, Ivanova GA, Kukavskaya EA. Restoration of the ground cover after surface fires in pine forests of Middle taiga. Lesovedenie, 2011, 5: 30-35. (in Russian)

[30] Kukavskaya EA, Buryak LV, Ivanova GA, Conard SG, Kalenskaya OP, Zhila SV, McRae DJ. Influence of logging on the effects of wildfire in Siberia. Environ Res Lett, 2013, 8: 045034.

[31] Kukavskaya EA, Soja AJ, Petkov AP, Ponomarev EI, Ivanova GA, Conard SG. Fire emissions estimates in Siberia: evaluation of uncertainties in area burned, land cover, and fuel consumption. Can J For Res, 2013, 43(5): 493-506.

[32] Kukavskaya EA, Ivanova GA, Conard SG, McRae DJ, Ivanov VA. Biomass dynamics of central Siberian Scots pine forests following surface fires of varying severity. Int J Wildland Fire, 2014, 23(6): 872-886.

[33] Kurbatsky NP. Forest fire suppression procedures and tactics, 1962, Moscow: Goslesbumizdat Publications 154 (in Russian)

[34] Kurbatsky NP. Kurbatsky NP. Investigating forest fuel loading and properties. Forest fire science problems, 1970, Krasnoyarsk: VN Sukachev Institute of Forest Publications 5 58 (in Russian)

[35] Kurbatsky NP, Ivanova GA. Forest-steppe Scots pine stand fire danger and ways of its reduction, 1987, Krasnoyarsk: VN Sukachev Institute of Forest Publications 112 (in Russian)

[36] Marchenko AI, Karlov EM. To studying of vegetation biomass in northern taiga moss spruce forest. Bot J, 1961, 46: 1146-1152. (in Russian)

[37] McRae DJ, Alexander ME, Stocks BJ (1979) Measurement and description of fuels and fire behavior on prescribed burns: a handbook. Environment Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Research Centre Information Report O-X-287. Sault Ste. Marie, ON, p 44

[38] McRae DJ, Conard SG, Ivanova GA, Sukhinin AI, Baker SP, Samsonov YN, Blake TW, Ivanov VA, Churkina TV, Hao WM, Koutzenogij KP, Kovaleva N. Variability of fire behavior, fire effects and emissions in Scotch Pine forests of central Siberia. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change, 2006, 11: 45-74.

[39] Melekhov IS. Forest nature and forest fire, 1947, Arkhangelsk: OGIZ Publications 60 (in Russian)

[40] Melekhov IS. Kuibyshev VV. About forest floor accumulation by forest type. Transactions of Forest Technology Institute, 1957, Arkhangelsk: Forest Technology Institute Publications 124 137 (in Russian)

[41] Morgan P, Hrady CC, Swetnam TW, Rollins MG, Long DG. Mapping fire regimes across time and space: understanding coarse and fine-scale fire patterns. Int J Wildland Fire, 2001, 10: 329-342.

[42] Morisita M. A new method for the estimation of density by spacing method applicable to nonrandomly distributed populations. Physiol Ecol, 1957, 7: 134-144. (in Japanese) (Available as Forest Service translation number 1 1 1 16, USDA Forest Service, Washington, D.C., USA.)

[43] Ottmar RD, Sandberg DV, Riccardi CL, Prichard SJ. An overview of the fuel characteristic classification system—quantifying, classifying, and creating fuelbeds for resource planning. Can J For Res, 2007, 37: 2383-2393.

[44] Pobedinsky AV. Pine, 1979, Moscow: Forest industry 123 (in Russian)

[45] Pozdnyakov LK, Protopopov VV, Gorbatenko VM. Bioproductivity of forests in central Siberia and Yakutia, 1969, Krasnoyarsk: IFandW SB AS USSR 155 (in Russian)

[46] Rodin LE, Bazelevich NI. Organic matter dynamics and biological cycle of ash constituents and nitrogen in the main forest types of the world, 1965, Moscow: Nauka Publications 253 (in Russian)

[47] Siberia Central. Gerasimov IP (ed), 1964, Moscow: Nauka Publications 480 (in Russian)

[48] Sofronov MA. Forest fires in southern Siberian Mountains, 1967, Moscow: Nauka Publications 150 (in Russian)

[49] Sofronov MA. Glavatsky GO. Fire-related characteristics of the upper Turukhan river basin vegetation. Forest fires and their suppression, 1988, Moscow: VNIILM Publications 106 117 (in Russian)

[50] Sofronov MA, Goldammer JG, Volokitina AV, Sofronova TM. Wildland fire danger, 2005, VN Sukachev Institute of forest SB RAS: Krasnoyarsk 330 (in Russian)

[51] Sofronova NI. Kurbatsky NP. Diurnal changes of moisture content of some forest plants. Forest fire science problems, 1970, Krasnoyarsk: VN Sukachev Institute of Forest Publications 142 155 (in Russian)

[52] Stocks BJ. Black spruce crown fuel weights in northern Ontario. Can J For Res, 1980, 10: 498-501.

[53] Stocks BJ, Hartley GR (1995) Fire behavior in three jack pine fuel complexes. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie

[54] Vagin AV, Murahtanov ES, Yshakov AI, Harin OA. Forest inventory and forest management, 1978, Moscow: Forest Industry Publications 368 (in Russian)

[55] Valendik EN. Fighting with large forest fires, 1990, Novosibirsk: Nauka Publications 192 (in Russian)

[56] Valendik EN, Gevel NF. Kurbatsky NP, Konev EV. On consumption levels of some forest fuels. Forest fire science problems, 1975, Krasnoyarsk: VN Sukachev Institute of Forest Publications 127 137 (in Russian)

[57] Valendik EN, Ivanova GA. Extremal fire danger seasons in the boreal forests of the Central Siberia. Lesovedenie, 1996, 4: 12-19. (in Russian)

[58] Valendik EN, Goldammer JG, YeK Kisilyakhov, Ivanova GA, Verkhovets SV, Bryukhanov AV, Kosov IV, Byambasuren O the FIRESCAN Science Team. Prescribed burning in Russia and neighbouring temperate-boreal Eurasia, 2013, Remagen: Kessel Publishing House 324

[59] Van Wagner CE. The line intersect method in forest fuel sampling. For Sci, 1968, 1: 20-26.

[60] Van Wagner CE (1987) Development and structure of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System. Government of Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Technical Report 35, Petawawa, ON, p 37

[61] Vasilevich VI. Statistical methods in the geobotany, 1969, Leningrad: Nauka Publications 232 (in Russian)

[62] Vedrova EF. Pleshikov FI. Decomposition rate of organic matter on the surface and in the soil. Forest ecosystems of the Yenisey Meridian, 2002, Novosibirsk: Publishing House of SB RAS 231 240 (in Russian)

[63] Vedrova EF, Spiridonova LV, Stakanov VD. Carbon cycle in young stands of the main forest species of Siberia. Lesovedenie, 2000, 3: 40-48. (in Russian)

[64] Venäläinen A, Korhonen N, Hyvärinen O, Koutsias N, Xystrakis F, Urbieta IR, Moreno JM. Temporal variations and change in forest fire danger in Europe for 1960–2012. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci, 2014, 14: 1477-1490.

[65] Volokitina AV. Layer-by-layer wetting and drying of moss/lichen and litter ground covers in the forest. For Sci J, 1985, 1: 60-64. (in Russian)

[66] Vonsky SM, Zdanko VA, Korbut VI, Semenov MM, Tetyusheva LV. Natural forest fire danger rating: methodology guide, 1975, Leningrad: Leningrad Forestry Institute Publications 40 (in Russian)

[67] Walker JD, Stocks BJ (1975) The fuel complex of mature and immature jack pine stands in Ontario. Department of the Environment, Canadian Forestry Service. Information Report O-X-229, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, p 19

[68] Zhila SV, Ivanova GA, Kukavskaya EA. Transformation of ground cover biomass under the fire influence in light-coniferous forests of Lower Angara region. KrasSAU Herald, 2011, 3: 33-38. (in Russian)

[69] Zhukov AB, Korotkov IA, Kutaphiev VP, Nazimova DI, Rechan SP, Savin EN, Cherebnikova YS. Zhukov AB. Forests of Krasnoyarsk region. USSR forests, 1969, Moscow: Nauka Publications 248 320 (in Russian)

[70] Zhukovskaya VI. Kurbatsky NP. Hygroscopic forest fuel wetting and drying. Forest fire science problems, 1970, Krasnoyarsk: Institute of Forest Publications 105 141 (in Russian)