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| Titel |
Simulated impacts of mountain pine beetle and wildfire disturbances on forest vegetation composition and carbon stocks in the Southern Rocky Mountains |
| VerfasserIn |
M. K. Caldwell, T. J. Hawbaker, J. S. Briggs, P. W. Cigan, S. Stitt |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1726-4170
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Biogeosciences ; 10, no. 12 ; Nr. 10, no. 12 (2013-12-12), S.8203-8222 |
| Datensatznummer |
250085476
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/bg-10-8203-2013.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Forests play an important role in sequestering carbon and offsetting
anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, but changing disturbance regimes may
compromise the capability of forests to store carbon. In the Southern Rocky
Mountains, a recent outbreak of mountain pine beetle (\textit{Dendroctonus ponderosae}; MPB) has caused
remarkable levels of tree mortality. To evaluate the long-term impacts of
both this insect outbreak and another characteristic disturbance in these
forests, high-severity wildfire, we simulated potential changes in species
composition and carbon stocks using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS).
Simulations were completed for 3 scenarios (no disturbance, actual MPB
infestation, and modeled wildfire) using field data collected in 2010 at 97
plots in the lodgepole-pine-dominated forests of eastern Grand County,
Colorado, which were heavily impacted by MPB after 2002. Results of the
simulations showed that (1) lodgepole pine remained dominant over time in all
scenarios, with basal area recovering to pre-disturbance levels 70–80 yr
after disturbance; (2) wildfire caused a greater magnitude of change than did
MPB in both patterns of succession and distribution of carbon among biomass
pools; (3) levels of standing-live carbon returned to pre-disturbance
conditions after 40 vs. 50 yr following MPB vs. wildfire disturbance,
respectively, but took 120 vs. 150 yr to converge with conditions in the
undisturbed scenario. Lodgepole pine forests appear to be relatively
resilient to both of the disturbances we modeled, although changes in
climate, future disturbance regimes, and other factors may significantly
affect future rates of regeneration and ecosystem response. |
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