Effects of fire and CO2 on biogeography and primary production in glacial and modern climates. Issue 3 (29th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martin Calvo, Maria; Prentice, Iain Colin
• Is Part Of: New phytologist. Volume 208:Issue 3(2015:Dec. 01)
• Page Start: 987
• Page End: 994
• Publication Date: 2015-05-29
• Subjects: Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/nph.13485
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-646X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="nph13485-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p> <list id="nph13485-list-0001" list-type="bullet"> <list-item> <p>Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) can disentangle causes and effects in the control of vegetation and fire. We used a DGVM to analyse climate, CO<sub>2</sub> and fire influences on biome distribution and net primary production (NPP) in last glacial maximum (LGM) and pre‐industrial (PI) times.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>The Land surface Processes and eXchanges (LPX) DGVM was run in a factorial design with fire 'off' or 'on', CO<sub>2</sub> at LGM (185 ppm) or PI (280 ppm) concentrations, and LGM (modelled) or recent climates. Results were analysed by Stein–Alpert decomposition to separate primary effects from synergies.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Fire removal causes forests to expand and global NPP to increase slightly. Low CO<sub>2</sub> greatly reduces forest area (dramatically in a PI climate; realistically under an LGM climate) and global NPP. NPP under an LGM climate was reduced by a quarter as a result of low CO<sub>2</sub>. The reduction in global NPP was smaller at low temperatures, but greater in the presence of fire.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p>Global NPP is controlled by climate and CO<sub>2</sub> directly through photosynthesis, but also through biome distribution, which is strongly influenced by fire. Future vegetation simulations will need to consider the coupled responses of vegetation and fire to CO<sub>2</sub> and climate.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </abstract>