科研之友
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摘要
Smoldering fires in organic soils have negative effects on air quality and motorist safety as well as global implications from their release of large quantities of refractory C. However, the ecological implications of their occurrence are relatively unexplored despite their potential importance to the management of wetland ecosystems. We developed a conceptual model of the ecohydrologic implications of peat-consuming fires that explores the interactive effects of fire, hydrology, and C dynamics on hydrology. We modify an existing wetland hydrology model parameterized with climate, soil, and spatial data from a low-relief region in southern Florida (USA) to explore hypothesized pyrogeomorphic changes to upland water table elevation, wetland inundation (depth and hydroperiod), and groundwater exchange as a function of fire severity (area and depth of burn). Smoldering fires increase hydroperiod and storage in organic soils in burned wetlands by changing soil elevation. After fire, negative feedbacks to fire occurrence are likely because of increased hydroperiods in burned areas. However, adjacent, unburned wetland areas and uplands may experience drier conditions that increase fire frequency in distal locations. Simulation results indicate that increasing the area of soil combustion or depth of burn increases wetland hydroperiod, flooding depths, and groundwater exchange between wetlands and surrounding uplands. Additional field data characterizing fire effects on organic soil elevations and wetland bathymetry are needed, but the model supports our hypothesis about the effects of soil-consuming fires on hydrology and habitat, and these results will inform future work on the ecological role of peat-consuming fires.
- 出版日期2015-12
- 单位美国弗吉尼亚理工大学(Virginia Tech)
