Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1324
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1324
15 May 2024
 | 15 May 2024
Status: this preprint is open for discussion.

Quantifying the impacts of wildfires on soil thermal, hydrological and carbon dynamics in northern Eurasia from 2003 to 2016

Yiming Xu, Qianlai Zhuang, Bailu Zhao, Michael Billmire, Christopher Cook, Jeremy Graham, Nancy French, and Ronald Prinn

Abstract. We use a process-based biogeochemistry model to simulate the fire impacts on soil thermal and hydrological dynamics and carbon budget of forest ecosystems in Northern Eurasia during 2003–2016 based on satellite-derived burn severity data. We find that fire severity generally increases in this region during the study period. Simulations indicate that fires increase soil temperature by 0.2–0.5 °C through removing the ground moss and surface soil organic matter, especially in Asian part of the region. Fires also increase water runoff by about 131 million m3 yr-1 through reducing post-fire evapotranspiration, leading to a higher regional river discharge. Fires remove 1.7 Pg C of ecosystem carbon through combustion emissions during this period and reduce net ecosystem production from 106.4 to 66.1 Tg C yr-1. Fires lead the forest ecosystems to lose 2.3 Pg C, shifting the forests from a carbon sink to a source in this period. Our study highlights the importance of wildfires in affecting soil thermal and hydrological and carbon dynamics in boreal forests.

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Yiming Xu, Qianlai Zhuang, Bailu Zhao, Michael Billmire, Christopher Cook, Jeremy Graham, Nancy French, and Ronald Prinn

Status: open (until 17 Jul 2024)

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Yiming Xu, Qianlai Zhuang, Bailu Zhao, Michael Billmire, Christopher Cook, Jeremy Graham, Nancy French, and Ronald Prinn

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Quantifying the impacts of wildfires on soil thermal, hydrological and carbon dynamics in northern Eurasia from 2003 to 2016 Qianlai Zhuang and Yiming Xu https://doi.org/10.4231/ZJM7-A207

Yiming Xu, Qianlai Zhuang, Bailu Zhao, Michael Billmire, Christopher Cook, Jeremy Graham, Nancy French, and Ronald Prinn

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Short summary
We use a process-based model to simulate the fire impacts on soil thermal and hydrological dynamics and carbon budget of forest ecosystems in Northern Eurasia based on satellite-derived burn severity data. We find that fire severity generally increases in this region during the study period. Simulations indicate that fires increase soil temperature and water runoff. Fires lead the forest ecosystems to lose 2.3 Pg C, shifting the forests from a carbon sink to a source in this period.