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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): Matthew D. Hurteau; Malcolm P. North
Publication Date: 2009

ANNOTATION: This paper provides results of modeling the effects of eight different fuel treatments on tree-based C storage and release over a century, with and without wildfire. Model runs show that, after a century of growth without wildfire, the control stored the most C. However, when wildfire was included in the model, the control had the largest total C emission and largest reduction in live-tree-based C stocks. In model runs including wildfire, the final amount of tree-based C sequestered was most affected by the stand structure initially produced by the different fuel treatments. In wildfire-prone forests, tree-based C stocks were best protected by fuel treatments that produced a low-density stand structure dominated by large, fire resistant pines. ABSTRACT: Forests are viewed as a potential sink for carbon (C) that might otherwise contribute to climate change. It is unclear, however, how to manage forests with frequent fire regimes to maximize C storage while reducing C emissions from prescribed burns or wildfire. We modeled the effects of eight different fuel treatments on tree-based C storage and release over a century, with and without wildfire. Model runs show that, after a century of growth without wildfire, the control stored the most C. However, when wildfire was included in the model, the control had the largest total C emission and largest reduction in live-tree-based C stocks. In model runs including wildfire, the final amount of tree-based C sequestered was most affected by the stand structure initially produced by the different fuel treatments. In wildfire-prone forests, tree-based C stocks were best protected by fuel treatments that produced a low-density stand structure dominated by large, fire-resistant pines.

Online Links
Citation: Hurteau, Matthew; North, Malcolm. 2009. Fuel treatment effects on tree-based forest carbon storage and emissions under modeled wildfire scenarios. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 7(8):409-414.

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Keywords:
  • Abies concolor
  • Abies magnifica
  • air quality
  • C - carbon
  • Calocedrus decurrens
  • carbon emissions
  • carbon release
  • carbon storage
  • catastrophic fires
  • climatology
  • coniferous forests
  • diameter classes
  • fire exclusion
  • fire frequency
  • fire management
  • fire regimes
  • fire resistant plants
  • flammability
  • forest management
  • fuel management
  • fuel treatment effects
  • Jeffrey pine
  • pine
  • Pinus jeffreyi
  • Pinus lambertiana
  • presettlement vegetation
  • Sierra Nevada
  • thinning
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 23851Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Journals-FAbstract Status: Okay, Fair use, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 7677

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.