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Carbon loss from an unprecedented Arctic tundra wildfire

Author

Listed:
  • Michelle C. Mack

    (University of Florida, PO Box 118525)

  • M. Syndonia Bret-Harte

    (Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757000)

  • Teresa N. Hollingsworth

    (Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit, PNW Research Station USDA Forest Service, PO Box 756780, University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Randi R. Jandt

    (Alaska Fire Service, Bureau of Land Management, PO Box 35005)

  • Edward A. G. Schuur

    (University of Florida, PO Box 118525)

  • Gaius R. Shaver

    (The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory)

  • David L. Verbyla

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757200)

Abstract

Large carbon release from Alaskan tundra fire In 2007, an area of more than 1,000 square kilometres of Alaskan tundra was destroyed by a single fire, more than doubling the cumulative area burnt in this region since 1950. Michelle Mack and colleagues now show that, in the process, 2.1 teragrams of carbon was released and about one-third of soil organic matter burned away, thereby potentially exposing permafrost soils to thaw. The amount of carbon released from the entire burn was comparable to the annual net carbon sink of the entire Arctic tundra biome during the past 25 years of the twentieth century. As tundra fires are expected to increase as the climate warms, combustion of 'old growth' tundra soil could constitute a positive climate feedback, by transferring surface soil carbon to the atmosphere and accelerating the thaw and decomposition of deeper permafrost carbon.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle C. Mack & M. Syndonia Bret-Harte & Teresa N. Hollingsworth & Randi R. Jandt & Edward A. G. Schuur & Gaius R. Shaver & David L. Verbyla, 2011. "Carbon loss from an unprecedented Arctic tundra wildfire," Nature, Nature, vol. 475(7357), pages 489-492, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:475:y:2011:i:7357:d:10.1038_nature10283
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10283
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yanlan Liu & William J. Riley & Trevor F. Keenan & Zelalem A. Mekonnen & Jennifer A. Holm & Qing Zhu & Margaret S. Torn, 2022. "Dispersal and fire limit Arctic shrub expansion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Yuquan Qu & Diego G. Miralles & Sander Veraverbeke & Harry Vereecken & Carsten Montzka, 2023. "Wildfire precursors show complementary predictability in different timescales," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Bing Wang & Su-Yan Pan & Ruo-Yu Ke & Ke Wang & Yi-Ming Wei, 2014. "An overview of climate change vulnerability: a bibliometric analysis based on Web of Science database," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 74(3), pages 1649-1666, December.
    4. E. Schuur & B. Abbott & W. Bowden & V. Brovkin & P. Camill & J. Canadell & J. Chanton & F. Chapin & T. Christensen & P. Ciais & B. Crosby & C. Czimczik & G. Grosse & J. Harden & D. Hayes & G. Hugelius, 2013. "Expert assessment of vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 359-374, July.
    5. David K Swanson, 2015. "Environmental Limits of Tall Shrubs in Alaska’s Arctic National Parks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-34, September.
    6. Vera Kuklina & Oleg Sizov & Elena Rasputina & Irina Bilichenko & Natalia Krasnoshtanova & Viktor Bogdanov & Andrey N. Petrov, 2022. "Fires on Ice: Emerging Permafrost Peatlands Fire Regimes in Russia’s Subarctic Taiga," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, February.

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