Advances in forest fire research in Australia Tina Bell

Transcription

1 Advances in forest fire research in Australia Tina Bell The University of Sydney Page 1

2 Australia is a fire-prone country 30 Area burnt in Australia ( ) 25 Area burnt (Mha) Modified from Giglio et al. (2010) Biogeosciences 7, Data sets compiled from four sensors (ATSR, VIRS, Terra MODIS, MODIS) The University of Sydney Page 2

3 Australia is a fire-prone country Region Average area burnt (Mha yr -1 ) Australia 53.8 Europe 0.7 Temperate North America 1.5 Africa (northern hemisphere) Africa (southern hemisphere) Global Modified from Giglio et al. (2010) Biogeosciences 7, Data sets compiled from four sensors (ATSR, VIRS, Terra MODIS, MODIS) The University of Sydney Page 3

4 Fire frequency The University of Sydney Page 4

5 Not all forests are the same... EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 5

6 Ash-type eucalypt forest in southern Australia EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 6

7 Mixed eucalypt forest in southern Australia EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 7

8 Savanna woodland in northern Australia EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 8

9 Not all fires are the same... The University of Sydney Page 9

10 Fuel reduction burn/prescribed burn The University of Sydney Page 10

11 Bushfire/wildfire EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 11

12 The aftermath of fire is not always the same... EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 12

13 The aftermath of fire is not always the same... EPA/Andrew Brownbill The University of Sydney Page 13

14 Not all plants recover in the same way... The University of Sydney Page 14

15 Projected changes in fire regimes Fuel load (kg m -2 ) % % % % Burnt area (%) Climate projections: Temperature Precipitation Burnt area: Northern Australia Southern Australia Projected increase in burnt area is small ( %) but fire regimes will change as vegetation patterns change Harrison and Kelley (2016) International Journal of Wildland Fire The University of Sydney Page 15

16 Managing bushfire risk Fuel reduction burning or prescribed burning: strategically targeted burning of vegetation Planned and managed fire that burns at a lower intensity (heat) than a bushfire Does not completely remove all bushfire risk but can reduce speed and intensity of a bushfire making it easier for firefighters to contain and control unplanned fire The University of Sydney Page 16

17 EPA/Andrew Brownbill Fuel reduction burning (FRB) The University of Sydney Page 17

18 What do land managers want to know when they use fuel reduction burning? Cost and effectiveness of fuel reduction burns Effect on environmental values Vegetation responses and fuel load Water Carbon Risks associated with/without doing fuel reduction burns The University of Sydney Page 18

19 Optimisation of fuel reduction burning Spatial decision support system Optimisation Fire behaviour Primary effects Secondary effects Topography Soil properties Water Weather Fuel type Prescribed burn Biological diversity Nutrient cycling Biomass Carbon Ecosystem resilience and recovery Fuel load Atmospheric emissions Fuel accumulation Gharun et al. (unpublished) Research data and analysis (field measurements, remote sensing, modelling) The University of Sydney Page 19

20 Burn size and sampling frequency 30 Australian Capital Territory 5 ha 100 ha Number of fires ( ) ha Coarse woody debris Litter Understorey N stratified 9 N not stratified 87 Burn Area 1,359 ha Fire size (ha) Number of samples 1000 NDVI p < Burn size (ha) The University of Sydney Page 20

21 Forest carbon balance The University of Sydney Page 21

22 Forest carbon balance Mg C ha months post-fire -5.9 Mg C ha -1 Fuel load (t ha -1 ) Pre-fire Post-fire Fuel reduction 29.0 Mg C ha -1 CO 2, CO, CH 4 Volatile organic compounds Mg CO 2 -e ha -1 Pyrogenic C 2.1 Mg C ha Mg C ha -1 0 Overstorey Understorey Coarse woody debris Litter Black carbon produced Possell et al. (2015) Biogeosciences, 12, Jenkins et al. (2016) Forest Ecology and Management 373, 9 16 The University of Sydney Page 22

23 Microbial respiration of pyrogenic carbon P Proportion of C released per C added (%) C- CO 2 / pyrom- C (c) (d) Incubation 100 tim (d) Incubation time (day) 200 (c) Jenkins et al. (2014) International Journal of Wildland Fire 23, Poon et al. (unpublished 200 data) d (%) The University of Sydney Page 23 (a) (d) Fine 2 g Fine 4 g Coarse 2 g Coarse 4 g

24 Impact of fuel reduction burning on water yield Before prescribed burning After prescribed burning 70% Understorey water use (liter Ha -1 ) Plot Fuel load (t ha -1 ) 200 Pre-fire Post-fire 100 Gharun et al. (unpublished) The University of Sydney Page 24 0 Overstorey Understorey Coarse woody debris Litter Black carbon produced

25 Mapping changes in plot-level tree water user suitability index for fuel reduction burning dq = Q pre burn Q post burn dq dq > mm The University of Sydney Page 25

26 Final comments We are aiming to build better models rather than more models (M. Adams, 26 th Sept 2016) Strong industry focus for our research Annual reminder of the importance of bushfire research (summer) The University of Sydney Page 26

27 Final comments We are aiming to build better models rather than more models (M. Adams, 26 th Sept 2016) Strong industry focus for our research Annual reminder of the importance of bushfire research (summer) The research group: Mark Adams, Mana Gharun, Malcolm Possell Tarryn Turnbull, Meghan Jenkins, Cheryl Poon, many students Funding: The University of Sydney Page 27