INIBIOMA   20415
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN BIODIVERSIDAD Y MEDIOAMBIENTE
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Climate change, wildfire and feedbacks in southern temperate ecosystems: An introduction and overview
Autor/es:
VEBLEN, TT; HOLZ, A; PARITSIS, J; KITZBERGER, T; MUNDO, I
Lugar:
Punta Arenas
Reunión:
Congreso; VIII Southern Connection Congress 2016; 2016
Resumen:
The rate of burning of many forests around the world is predicted to increase under a warming climate, and specifically for southern temperate forests there have been recent upsurges in wildfire activity. In this paper we provide an introduction to and overview on the causes and consequences of increased wildfire activity in southern temperate forests. We examine the hypothesis that for many southern temperate forest ecosystems increased wildfire activity driven by land-use practices and/or climate are exacerbated by properties of post-fire vegetation that produce positive feedbacks, making recently burned areas more prone to subsequent fire. Recent research in Patagonia and New Zealand has shown empirically and through simulation modeling how initial burning of relatively low flammability mesic and sub-mesic Nothofagus forests results in more fire prone vegetation through changes in fuel profiles and effects of post-fire vegetation on microclimate and fuel moisture compared to conditions in the pre-burned forest community. Building on that existing framework, we outline working hypotheses of similar fire-vegetation feedbacks mediated by bamboo fuels and post-fire changes in soil drainage in southern temperate rainforests, emphasizing those of southern South America. We will present a comparative research agenda on fire in southern rainforests in order to identify (1) which plant traits and plant community properties drive the strength of the positive feedbacks, (2) under what abiotic conditions are these positive feedbacks most likely to lead to abrupt, nearly irreversible vegetation changes, and (3) management options for adapting to increased wildfire activity in southern temperate rainforests.