Effects of fire and CO2 on biogeography and primary production in glacial and modern climates
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Accepted version
Accepted version
Author(s)
Calvo, Maria Martin
Prentice, Iain Colin
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) can disentangle causes and effects in the control of vegetation and fire. We used a DGVM to analyse climate, CO2 and fire influences on biome distribution and net primary production (NPP) in last glacial maximum (LGM) and pre-industrial (PI) times.
The Land surface Processes and eXchanges (LPX) DGVM was run in a factorial design with fire ‘off’ or ‘on’, CO2 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.
Fire removal causes forests to expand and global NPP to increase slightly. Low CO2 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 CO2. The reduction in global NPP was smaller at low temperatures, but greater in the presence of fire.
Global NPP is controlled by climate and CO2 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 CO2 and climate.
The Land surface Processes and eXchanges (LPX) DGVM was run in a factorial design with fire ‘off’ or ‘on’, CO2 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.
Fire removal causes forests to expand and global NPP to increase slightly. Low CO2 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 CO2. The reduction in global NPP was smaller at low temperatures, but greater in the presence of fire.
Global NPP is controlled by climate and CO2 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 CO2 and climate.
Date Issued
2015-05-29
Date Acceptance
2015-04-30
Citation
New Phytologist, 2015, 208 (3), pp.987-994
ISSN
0028-646X
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
987
End Page
994
Journal / Book Title
New Phytologist
Volume
208
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Martin Calvo, M. and Prentice, I. C. (2015), Effects of fire and CO2 on biogeography and primary production in glacial and modern climates. New Phytol, 208: 987–994. , which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.13485. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
AXA Research Fund
Grant Number
238366
AXA Chair Programme in Biosphere and Climate Impacts
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Plant Sciences
biomass burning
climate change
CO2 fertilization
fire
fire-climate-CO2 interactions
fuel
primary production
vegetation distribution
GLOBAL VEGETATION MODELS
CARBON-CYCLE FEEDBACKS
LOW ATMOSPHERIC CO2
GROWTH-RESPONSES
EARTH SYSTEM
TEMPERATURE
EMISSIONS
FUTURE
DISTRIBUTIONS
SIMULATIONS
Publication Status
Published