Incorrect interpretation of carbon mass balance biases global vegetation fire emission estimates

Surawski, NC; Sullivan, AL; Roxburgh, SH; Meyer, CPM; Polglase, PJ

Incorrect interpretation of carbon mass balance biases global vegetation fire emission estimates

Surawski, NC

Sullivan, AL Roxburgh, SH Meyer, CPM Polglase, PJ

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Nature Communications, 2016, 7
Issue Date:: 2016-05-05

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Surawski, NC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2584-1044	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sullivan, AL	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Roxburgh, SH	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Meyer, CPM	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Polglase, PJ	en_US
dc.date.available	2016-04-06	en_US
dc.date.issued	2016-05-05	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Nature Communications, 2016, 7	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/119138
dc.description.abstract	© 2016, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Vegetation fires are a complex phenomenon in the Earth system with many global impacts, including influences on global climate. Estimating carbon emissions from vegetation fires relies on a carbon mass balance technique that has evolved with two different interpretations. Databases of global vegetation fire emissions use an approach based on 'consumed biomass', which is an approximation to the biogeochemically correct 'burnt carbon' approach. Here we show that applying the 'consumed biomass' approach to global emissions from vegetation fires leads to annual overestimates of carbon emitted to the atmosphere by 4.0% or 100 Tg compared with the 'burnt carbon' approach. The required correction is significant and represents ∼9% of the net global forest carbon sink estimated annually. Vegetation fire emission studies should use the 'burnt carbon' approach to quantify and understand the role of this burnt carbon, which is not emitted to the atmosphere, as a sink enriched in carbon.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Nature Communications	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1038/ncomms11536	en_US
dc.title	Incorrect interpretation of carbon mass balance biases global vegetation fire emission estimates	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	7	en_US
utslib.for	050102 Ecosystem Function	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	7	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016, Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Vegetation fires are a complex phenomenon in the Earth system with many global impacts, including influences on global climate. Estimating carbon emissions from vegetation fires relies on a carbon mass balance technique that has evolved with two different interpretations. Databases of global vegetation fire emissions use an approach based on 'consumed biomass', which is an approximation to the biogeochemically correct 'burnt carbon' approach. Here we show that applying the 'consumed biomass' approach to global emissions from vegetation fires leads to annual overestimates of carbon emitted to the atmosphere by 4.0% or 100 Tg compared with the 'burnt carbon' approach. The required correction is significant and represents ∼9% of the net global forest carbon sink estimated annually. Vegetation fire emission studies should use the 'burnt carbon' approach to quantify and understand the role of this burnt carbon, which is not emitted to the atmosphere, as a sink enriched in carbon.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/119138