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Boreal Forest and Fire

Boreal Forest and Fire. Nearly continuous belt of coniferous trees across North America and Eurasia. Map source, Hare and Ritchie (1972). Climate associated with the Boreal Forest. Long, severe winters Short summers Low summer precipitation. Soils associated with the Boreal Forest.

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Boreal Forest and Fire

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  1. Boreal Forest and Fire

  2. Nearly continuous belt of coniferous trees across North America and Eurasia

  3. Map source, Hare and Ritchie (1972).

  4. Climate associated with the Boreal Forest • Long, severe winters • Short summers • Low summer precipitation

  5. Soils associated with the Boreal Forest Overlying formerly glaciated areas and areas of patchy permafrost Soils are podzols Soils are very acidic and often waterlogged

  6. Vegetation is a mosaic of successional and subclimax plant communities Black and white spruce are characteristic species along with jack pine and balsam fir Successional species include alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), and aspen (Populus).

  7. Black Spruce (Picea mariana)

  8. Jack Pine(Pinus banksiana)

  9. Lots of water bodies Muskegs

  10. Fire Effects on Wildlife Populations

  11. CARBON CYCLE

  12. Fire influences carbon cycling both directly and indirectly in the boreal forest Direct: consumption of trees, understory vegetation, lichen, moss, litter, organic soil RESULT: instant flux of carbon to the atmosphere Indirect: 1) change in albedo (surface reflectivity RESULT: slow flux of carbon to the atmosphere Indirect: 2) vegetation succession RESULT: CO2 sequestration during regrowth

  13. Fifty years of soil temperature data at a boreal forest site near Fairbanks, Alaska indicate 2 - 5 oC warming, now approaching thaw. This warming will likely effect fire regimes and the occurrence of permafrost, which in turn will effect carbon storage. Data of Vladimir Romanovsky, 1999.

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