Life Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of Prescribed Fire On Ecosystem Biomass, Carbon, And Nitrogen In A Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Benjamin M. Rau, Robin Tausch, Alicia Reiner, Dale W. Johnson, Jeanne C. Chambers, Robert R. Blank, Annmarrie Lucchesi

Articles

Increases in pinyon and juniper woodland cover associated with land-use history are suggested to provide offsets for carbon emissions in arid regions. However, the largest pools of carbon in arid landscapes are typically found in soils, and aboveground biomass cannot be considered long-term storage in fire-prone ecosystems. Also, the objectives of carbon storage may conflict with management for other ecosystem services and fuels reduction. Before appropriate decisions can be made it is necessary to understand the interactions between woodland expansion, management treatments, and carbon retention. We quantified effects of prescribed fire as a fuels reduction and ecosystem maintenance treatment on …