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Cited by 320Climate change and permafrostFire effects on ecosystemsPeatlands and Wetlands Ecology

Wildfire as a major driver of recent permafrost thaw in boreal peatlands

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Gibson, Carolyn M., Chasmer, Laura E., Thompson, Dan K., Quinton, William L., Flannigan, Mike D., Olefeldt, David·2018·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-05457-1PMC PMC6072743
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Abstract

Permafrost vulnerability to climate change may be underestimated unless effects of wildfire are considered. Here we assess impacts of wildfire on soil thermal regime and rate of thermokarst bog expansion resulting from complete permafrost thaw in western Canadian permafrost peatlands. Effects of wildfire on permafrost peatlands last for 30 years and include a warmer and deeper active layer, and spatial expansion of continuously thawed soil layers (taliks). These impacts on the soil thermal regime are associated with a tripled rate of thermokarst bog expansion along permafrost edges. Our results suggest that wildfire is directly responsible for 2200 ± 1500 km 2 (95% CI) of thermokarst bog development in the study region over the last 30 years, representing ~25% of all thermokarst bog expansion during this period. With increasing fire frequency under a warming climate, this study emphasizes the need to consider wildfires when projecting future circumpolar permafrost thaw.

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  • In ecosystems underlain with permafrost, wildfires can accelerate permafrost thaw and ground subsidence.

    “For example, in ecosystems underlain with permafrost, wildfires can accelerate permafrost thaw and ground subsidence (Gibson et al., 2018), resulting in altered soil hydrology and subsequent likelihood of fire.”

    From Fire as a fundamental ecological process: Research advances and frontiers (2020) · cites this paper as Gibson et al., 2018

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Authors
Gibson, C. M., Chasmer, L. E., Thompson, D. K., Quinton, W. L., Flannigan, M. D., & Olefeldt, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Alberta (CA)
  • University of Lethbridge (CA)
  • Canadian Forest Service (CA)
  • Wilfrid Laurier University (CA)
Corresponding author
Olefeldt, David
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-08-02
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
3041-3041
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-018-05457-1
PMC
PMC6072743
OpenAlex
W2884461525
Cited by
320
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 54 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 5 · 2015: 1
FWCI
11.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Alberta
  • Alberta Innovates
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Climate change and permafrost
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
Keywords
forest fires, permafrost thaw, boreal peatlands, soil thermal regime, active layer, talik, fire frequency, climate change, permafrost carbon release

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