Quantifying the source area of macroscopic charcoal with a particle dispersal model

Matthew Edward Peters; Philip Edward Higuera

doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2006.10.004

Quantifying the source area of macroscopic charcoal with a particle dispersal model

Matthew Edward Peters
, Philip Edward Higuera

W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

University of Washington

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

149 Scopus citations

Abstract

To aid interpreting the source area of charcoal in lake-sediment records, we compare charcoal deposition from an experimental fire to predictions from a particle dispersal model. This provides both a theoretical framework for understanding how lake sediments reflect fire history and a foundation for simulating sediment-charcoal records. The dispersal model captures the two-dimensional patterns in the empirical data (predicted vs. observed r² = 0.67, p < 0.001). We further develop the model to calculate the potential charcoal source area (PCSA) for several classes of fires. Results suggest that (1) variations in airborne charcoal deposition can be explained largely by the size of PCSAs relative to fire sizes and (2) macroscopic charcoal travels many kilometers, longer than suggested by dispersal data from experimental fires but consistent with dispersal data from uncontrolled fires.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	304-310
Number of pages	7
Journal	Quaternary Research (United States)
Volume	67
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2006.10.004
State	Published - Mar 2007

Funding

Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation through a Graduate Research Fellowship to PEH and grant #0112586 from the Arctic System Science program to Linda Brubaker. We thank Jason Lynch for providing the charcoal dispersal data. The Bettles, AK wind data were provided by the Alaska Climate Research Center via their website http://climate.gi.alaska.edu . The manuscript was greatly improved based on comments from L. Brubaker. Additional comments from D. Gavin and D. Sprugel and reviews by W. Tinner and editor Patrick Bartlein were also very helpful.

Funder number
0112586

Keywords

Charcoal analysis
Charcoal dispersal
Charcoal source area
Dispersal model
Experimental burn
Fire history

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10.1016/j.yqres.2006.10.004

Cite this

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title = "Quantifying the source area of macroscopic charcoal with a particle dispersal model",

abstract = "To aid interpreting the source area of charcoal in lake-sediment records, we compare charcoal deposition from an experimental fire to predictions from a particle dispersal model. This provides both a theoretical framework for understanding how lake sediments reflect fire history and a foundation for simulating sediment-charcoal records. The dispersal model captures the two-dimensional patterns in the empirical data (predicted vs. observed r2 = 0.67, p < 0.001). We further develop the model to calculate the potential charcoal source area (PCSA) for several classes of fires. Results suggest that (1) variations in airborne charcoal deposition can be explained largely by the size of PCSAs relative to fire sizes and (2) macroscopic charcoal travels many kilometers, longer than suggested by dispersal data from experimental fires but consistent with dispersal data from uncontrolled fires.",

keywords = "Charcoal analysis, Charcoal dispersal, Charcoal source area, Dispersal model, Experimental burn, Fire history",

author = "Peters, \{Matthew Edward\} and Higuera, \{Philip Edward\}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation through a Graduate Research Fellowship to PEH and grant \#0112586 from the Arctic System Science program to Linda Brubaker. We thank Jason Lynch for providing the charcoal dispersal data. The Bettles, AK wind data were provided by the Alaska Climate Research Center via their website http://climate.gi.alaska.edu . The manuscript was greatly improved based on comments from L. Brubaker. Additional comments from D. Gavin and D. Sprugel and reviews by W. Tinner and editor Patrick Bartlein were also very helpful. ",

year = "2007",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.yqres.2006.10.004",

language = "English",

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journal = "Quaternary Research (United States)",

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AU - Peters, Matthew Edward

AU - Higuera, Philip Edward

N1 - Funding Information: Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation through a Graduate Research Fellowship to PEH and grant #0112586 from the Arctic System Science program to Linda Brubaker. We thank Jason Lynch for providing the charcoal dispersal data. The Bettles, AK wind data were provided by the Alaska Climate Research Center via their website http://climate.gi.alaska.edu . The manuscript was greatly improved based on comments from L. Brubaker. Additional comments from D. Gavin and D. Sprugel and reviews by W. Tinner and editor Patrick Bartlein were also very helpful.

PY - 2007/3

Y1 - 2007/3

N2 - To aid interpreting the source area of charcoal in lake-sediment records, we compare charcoal deposition from an experimental fire to predictions from a particle dispersal model. This provides both a theoretical framework for understanding how lake sediments reflect fire history and a foundation for simulating sediment-charcoal records. The dispersal model captures the two-dimensional patterns in the empirical data (predicted vs. observed r2 = 0.67, p < 0.001). We further develop the model to calculate the potential charcoal source area (PCSA) for several classes of fires. Results suggest that (1) variations in airborne charcoal deposition can be explained largely by the size of PCSAs relative to fire sizes and (2) macroscopic charcoal travels many kilometers, longer than suggested by dispersal data from experimental fires but consistent with dispersal data from uncontrolled fires.

AB - To aid interpreting the source area of charcoal in lake-sediment records, we compare charcoal deposition from an experimental fire to predictions from a particle dispersal model. This provides both a theoretical framework for understanding how lake sediments reflect fire history and a foundation for simulating sediment-charcoal records. The dispersal model captures the two-dimensional patterns in the empirical data (predicted vs. observed r2 = 0.67, p < 0.001). We further develop the model to calculate the potential charcoal source area (PCSA) for several classes of fires. Results suggest that (1) variations in airborne charcoal deposition can be explained largely by the size of PCSAs relative to fire sizes and (2) macroscopic charcoal travels many kilometers, longer than suggested by dispersal data from experimental fires but consistent with dispersal data from uncontrolled fires.

KW - Charcoal analysis

KW - Charcoal dispersal

KW - Charcoal source area

KW - Dispersal model

KW - Experimental burn

KW - Fire history

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DO - 10.1016/j.yqres.2006.10.004

M3 - Article

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SN - 0033-5894

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SP - 304

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JO - Quaternary Research (United States)

JF - Quaternary Research (United States)

IS - 2

ER -

Quantifying the source area of macroscopic charcoal with a particle dispersal model

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Keywords

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