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Titel |
Emissions from prescribed fires in temperate forest in south-east Australia: implications for carbon accounting |
VerfasserIn |
M. Possell, M. Jenkins, T. L. Bell, M. A. Adams |
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 ; 12, no. 1 ; Nr. 12, no. 1 (2015-01-15), S.257-268 |
Datensatznummer |
250117770
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/bg-12-257-2015.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
We estimated emissions of carbon, as equivalent CO2 (CO2e), from planned fires
in four sites in a south-eastern Australian forest. Emission estimates were
calculated using measurements of fuel load and carbon content of different
fuel types, before and after burning, and determination of fuel-specific
emission factors. Median estimates of emissions for the four sites ranged
from 20 to 139 Mg CO2e ha−1. Variability in estimates was a
consequence of different burning efficiencies of each fuel type from the
four sites. Higher emissions resulted from more fine fuel (twigs,
decomposing matter, near-surface live and leaf litter) or coarse woody
debris (CWD; > 25 mm diameter) being consumed. In order to assess
the effect of declining information quantity and the inclusion of coarse
woody debris when estimating emissions, Monte Carlo simulations were used to
create seven scenarios where input parameters values were replaced by
probability density functions. Calculation methods were (1) all measured
data were constrained between measured maximum and minimum values for each
variable; (2) as in (1) except the proportion of carbon within a fuel type
was constrained between 0 and 1; (3) as in (2) but losses of mass caused by
fire were replaced with burning efficiency factors constrained between 0 and
1; and (4) emissions were calculated using default values in the Australian
National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA), National Inventory Report 2011, as
appropriate for our sites. Effects of including CWD in calculations were
assessed for calculation Method 1, 2 and 3 but not for Method 4 as the NGA
does not consider this fuel type. Simulations demonstrate that the
probability of estimating true median emissions declines strongly as the
amount of information available declines. Including CWD in scenarios
increased uncertainty in calculations because CWD is the most variable
contributor to fuel load. Inclusion of CWD in scenarios generally increased
the amount of carbon lost. We discuss implications of these simulations and
how emissions from prescribed burns in temperate Australian forests could be
improved. |
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