Boreal Forest and Forest Fires

Abstract

Boreal forest has played a role as sink of atmospheric CO2 due to the slow growth of black spruce; however, changes in source of atmospheric CO2 by forest fires and recent warming have significantly triggered modulation in physiological ecology and biogeochemistry over the boreal forest of Alaska. This chapter describes recent research findings in boreal forest ecosystem of Alaska: (1) the forest aboveground biomass (AGB) with field survey data and satellite data, (2) latitudinal gradients of phenology with time-lapsed camera and satellite data, (3) spatio-temporal variation of leaf area index (LAI) with the analysis of satellite data, (4) latitudinal distribution of winter and spring season soil CO2 emission, and (5) successional changes in CO2 and energy balance after forest fires. As a result, mapping of forest AGB is useful for the evaluation of vegetation models and carbon stock in the biogeochemical cycle. Latitudinal distribution of phenology understands the recent and future phenological changes including post-fire recovery forests. Interannual variation of LAI shows the leaf dynamics and near-surface remote-sensing approaches with the analyses of time-lapsed digital camera and satellite data. Spring carbon contributions are sensitive to subtle changes in the onset of spring. Vegetation recovery after forest fire is the major driver of the carbon balance in the stage of early succession. Increasing soil carbon emission in response to abrupt climate warming in Alaska is a significant driver of carbon balance.