Organisers: Stefan Doerr, Swansea University, UK, s.doerr@swansea.ac.uk
Abstract
Fires represent one of the most important natural- and human-caused perturbations in the Earth system. They affect ~4% of the entire global vegetated surface every year and lead to the (i) rapid release and redistribution of carbon stored in the vegetation and soil to the atmosphere and within the landscape; (ii) the production of ash layers containing nutrients and potential pollutants; and (iii) changes in the runoff and erosional dynamics of landscapes. These and other fire-related effects can lead to profound changes in the fluxes and geochemical cycling of key elements, compounds and materials in the landscape ranging from carbon through water, nutrients and pollutants, to sediments.
This interdisciplinary session aims to bring together the scientific and management communities in order to highlight and evaluate important advances, and the current scientific and management gaps, regarding the effects of fires on these fluxes in the landscape. I will focus not only on new knowledge, but also on methods, models and products to understand and predict these impacts of fire.
The session will comprise of keynotes summarizing the state-of-the-art in relevant sub- disciplines followed by specific research presentations. Special attention will be given to overarching new knowledge, assessment methodologies, advances in models for predicting and, where relevant, mitigating the environmental impacts and risks to population and infrastructures.