Bark Beetle Effects on Fire Regimes Depend on Underlying Fuel Modifications in Semiarid Systems.
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| Title: | Bark Beetle Effects on Fire Regimes Depend on Underlying Fuel Modifications in Semiarid Systems. |
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| Authors: | Ren, Jianning1,2 (AUTHOR), Hanan, Erin J.2 (AUTHOR), Hicke, Jeffrey A.3 (AUTHOR), Kolden, Crystal A.4 (AUTHOR), Abatzoglou, John T.4 (AUTHOR), Tague, Christina L.5 (AUTHOR), Bart, Ryan R.6 (AUTHOR), Kennedy, Maureen C.7 (AUTHOR), Liu, Mingliang1 (AUTHOR), Adam, Jennifer C.1 (AUTHOR) jcadam@wsu.edu |
| Source: | Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems. Jan2023, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p1-18. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Extreme weather, *Tree mortality, *Plant-water relationships, *Fire management, *Forest fires, Bark beetles, Plant productivity, Firefighting |
| Geographic Terms: | North America |
| Abstract: | Although natural disturbances such as wildfire, extreme weather events, and insect outbreaks play a key role in structuring ecosystems and watersheds worldwide, climate change has intensified many disturbance regimes, which can have compounding negative effects on ecosystem processes and services. Recent studies have highlighted the need to understand whether wildfire increases or decreases after large‐scale beetle outbreaks. However, observational studies have produced mixed results. To address this, we applied a coupled ecohydrologic‐fire regime‐beetle effects model (RHESSys‐WMFire‐Beetle) in a semiarid watershed in the western US. We found that in the red phase (0–5 years post‐outbreak), surface fire extent, burn probability, and surface and crown fire severity all decreased. In the gray phase (6–15 years post‐outbreak), both surface fire extent and surface and crown fire severity increased with increasing mortality. However, fire probability reached a plateau during high mortality levels (>50% in terms of carbon removed). In the old phase (one to several decades post‐outbreak), fire extent and severity still increased in all mortality levels. However, fire probability increased during low to medium mortality (≤50%) but decreased during high mortality levels (>50%). Wildfire responses also depended on the fire regime. In fuel‐limited locations, fire probability increased with increasing fuel loads, whereas in fuel‐abundant (flammability‐limited) systems, fire probability decreased due to decreases in fuel aridity from reduced plant water demand. This modeling framework can improve our understanding of the mechanisms driving wildfire responses and aid managers in predicting when and where fire hazards will increase. Plain Language Summary: Bark beetle outbreaks have impacted millions of hectares of forest in western North America. Beetle‐caused tree mortality can increase or decrease wildfire hazards by altering surface fuel loading and decreasing leaf moisture. Previous studies have observed increases in fire following beetle attacks. However, others have found no change or a decrease. Such discrepancies can result from several interacting factors, such as how much time has passed since an outbreak, the level of tree mortality, and pre‐outbreak fuel conditions. To examine how these factors influence surface and crown fire characteristics in a semiarid watershed, we used a model that simulates interactions among hydrology, vegetation, beetle effects, and fire. We found that in the first 5 years after attack, surface fire probability and extent decreased due to decreases in plant productivity and fuel loading. Surface and crown fire severity had similar responses as surface fire extent. Following that, fire responses were a function of two counteracting forces: increases in fuel loading from delayed needle‐ and snag‐fall and wetter fuels from reduced plant water demand. The dominant force depended on fuel conditions. In fuel‐limited locations, fire increased with more fuel loads, whereas in fuel‐abundant locations, fire normally decreased due to wetter fuels. This research provides a practical tool for managers to better predict when and where fire hazards will increase. Key Points: Five years after beetle outbreak, fire probability decreased due to reduced vegetation productivity and fuel loadingSix to fifteen years after outbreak, fire probability increased due to more fuel loading from snag‐fallFifteen years after outbreak, fire probability decreased due to lower fuel aridity when mortality level was higher than 50% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 161547824 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Bark Beetle Effects on Fire Regimes Depend on Underlying Fuel Modifications in Semiarid Systems. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ren%2C+Jianning%22">Ren, Jianning</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hanan%2C+Erin+J%2E%22">Hanan, Erin J.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hicke%2C+Jeffrey+A%2E%22">Hicke, Jeffrey A.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kolden%2C+Crystal+A%2E%22">Kolden, Crystal A.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abatzoglou%2C+John+T%2E%22">Abatzoglou, John T.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tague%2C+Christina+L%2E%22">Tague, Christina L.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bart%2C+Ryan+R%2E%22">Bart, Ryan R.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kennedy%2C+Maureen+C%2E%22">Kennedy, Maureen C.</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Mingliang%22">Liu, Mingliang</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adam%2C+Jennifer+C%2E%22">Adam, Jennifer C.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jcadam@wsu.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Advances+in+Modeling+Earth+Systems%22">Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems</searchLink>. Jan2023, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p1-18. 18p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Extreme+weather%22">Extreme weather</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tree+mortality%22">Tree mortality</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Plant-water+relationships%22">Plant-water relationships</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fire+management%22">Fire management</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forest+fires%22">Forest fires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bark+beetles%22">Bark beetles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Plant+productivity%22">Plant productivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Firefighting%22">Firefighting</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22North+America%22">North America</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Although natural disturbances such as wildfire, extreme weather events, and insect outbreaks play a key role in structuring ecosystems and watersheds worldwide, climate change has intensified many disturbance regimes, which can have compounding negative effects on ecosystem processes and services. Recent studies have highlighted the need to understand whether wildfire increases or decreases after large‐scale beetle outbreaks. However, observational studies have produced mixed results. To address this, we applied a coupled ecohydrologic‐fire regime‐beetle effects model (RHESSys‐WMFire‐Beetle) in a semiarid watershed in the western US. We found that in the red phase (0–5 years post‐outbreak), surface fire extent, burn probability, and surface and crown fire severity all decreased. In the gray phase (6–15 years post‐outbreak), both surface fire extent and surface and crown fire severity increased with increasing mortality. However, fire probability reached a plateau during high mortality levels (>50% in terms of carbon removed). In the old phase (one to several decades post‐outbreak), fire extent and severity still increased in all mortality levels. However, fire probability increased during low to medium mortality (≤50%) but decreased during high mortality levels (>50%). Wildfire responses also depended on the fire regime. In fuel‐limited locations, fire probability increased with increasing fuel loads, whereas in fuel‐abundant (flammability‐limited) systems, fire probability decreased due to decreases in fuel aridity from reduced plant water demand. This modeling framework can improve our understanding of the mechanisms driving wildfire responses and aid managers in predicting when and where fire hazards will increase. Plain Language Summary: Bark beetle outbreaks have impacted millions of hectares of forest in western North America. Beetle‐caused tree mortality can increase or decrease wildfire hazards by altering surface fuel loading and decreasing leaf moisture. Previous studies have observed increases in fire following beetle attacks. However, others have found no change or a decrease. Such discrepancies can result from several interacting factors, such as how much time has passed since an outbreak, the level of tree mortality, and pre‐outbreak fuel conditions. To examine how these factors influence surface and crown fire characteristics in a semiarid watershed, we used a model that simulates interactions among hydrology, vegetation, beetle effects, and fire. We found that in the first 5 years after attack, surface fire probability and extent decreased due to decreases in plant productivity and fuel loading. Surface and crown fire severity had similar responses as surface fire extent. Following that, fire responses were a function of two counteracting forces: increases in fuel loading from delayed needle‐ and snag‐fall and wetter fuels from reduced plant water demand. The dominant force depended on fuel conditions. In fuel‐limited locations, fire increased with more fuel loads, whereas in fuel‐abundant locations, fire normally decreased due to wetter fuels. This research provides a practical tool for managers to better predict when and where fire hazards will increase. Key Points: Five years after beetle outbreak, fire probability decreased due to reduced vegetation productivity and fuel loadingSix to fifteen years after outbreak, fire probability increased due to more fuel loading from snag‐fallFifteen years after outbreak, fire probability decreased due to lower fuel aridity when mortality level was higher than 50% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1029/2022MS003073 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 18 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Extreme weather Type: general – SubjectFull: Tree mortality Type: general – SubjectFull: Plant-water relationships Type: general – SubjectFull: Fire management Type: general – SubjectFull: Forest fires Type: general – SubjectFull: Bark beetles Type: general – SubjectFull: Plant productivity Type: general – SubjectFull: Firefighting Type: general – SubjectFull: North America Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Bark Beetle Effects on Fire Regimes Depend on Underlying Fuel Modifications in Semiarid Systems. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ren, Jianning – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hanan, Erin J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hicke, Jeffrey A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kolden, Crystal A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Abatzoglou, John T. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tague, Christina L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bart, Ryan R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kennedy, Maureen C. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Liu, Mingliang – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Adam, Jennifer C. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: Jan2023 Type: published Y: 2023 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 19422466 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 15 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
