5:15 PM - 6:30 PM
[MIS01-P03] Assessing pyrogenic impact on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands after surface fires in Central Siberia
Keywords:Central Siberia, Scots pine, surface forest fires, root collar, impact of wildfire, estimations of fire damage
Field investigations were performed on study plots established in the dominant ecosystems of Central Siberia (lichen pine, moss pine, mixed forest, dark forest and peat bog) after large-scale fires that occurred in 2012. Using a linear regressions analysis we have selected two main factors that are vital for Scots pine in survival during high-intensity ground fire: individual characteristics of a tree and spatial location (type of damages, stores of biomass available for combustion around the tree) (R = 0.81) and the diameter of root collars (R = 0.86). Surface location of root system has been found to be a reason of a strong drop in fire-resistance of Scots pine. Within the fast-moving surface fires we found out that dead trees with surface location of root system reached around 42% and after steady surface forest fire mortality could achieve up to 91%. Individual morphometric parameters of trees (big-butt, slope, and curvature of a stem) have been found to be a next influential factor of tree mortality. We found out that visible post-fire damages of stem were deadly significant for Scots pine mature trees if fire scars reached more than 2/3 of circumference (for damage of cambium layer). Such damages could be a reason of 89% mortality of Scots pine trees. In such cases if tree survived after the fire, it could be destroyed by the next fire due to increased pitch flow, which decreases fire-resistance of the tree. These results confirm that for mature pine stands surface forest fires are as dangerous as crown fires.
This research was supported financially by the project of RSF # 14-24-00113 and RFBR grant # 15-45-04423.