Fire in the Tropical Biota: Ecosystem Processes and Global Challenges

514 Pages·1990·11.11 MB·English

by  D. Mueller-Dombois, J. G. Goldammer (auth.), Dr. Johann Georg Goldammer (eds.)

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J.G. Goldammer (Ed.)
Fire in the
Tropical Biota
Ecosystem Processes and Global
Challenges
With 116 Figures
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York
London Paris Tokyo Hong Kong Barcelona
Dr. JOHANN GEORG GOLDAMMER
Fire Ecology and Fire Management Research Unit
Institute of Forest Zoology
University of Freiburg
BertoldstraBe 17
7800 Freiburg, FRG
ISBN-13:978-3-642-75397-8 e-ISBN-13:978-3-642-75395-4
DOl: 10.1007/978-3-642-75395-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data. Fire in the tropical biota: ecosystem
processes and global challenges / J. G. Goldammer (ed.). p.em. - - (Ecological studies;
vol. 84) Papers from the Third Symposium on Fire Ecology held at Freiburg University
in May 1989 and sponsored by the Volkswagen Foundation. Includes bibliographical refe
rences and index.ISBN-13:978-3-642-75397-8 (acidfree paper) 1. Fire ecology-Tropics
Congresses. 2. Wildfire-Tropics-Congresses. 3. Biotic communities-Tropics
Congresses. 4. Botany-Tropics-Congresses. 5. Fires-Tropics-Congresses. I. Gold
ammer, J.G. (Johann Georg), 1949- . II. Symposium on Fire Ecology (3rd : 1989:
Freiburg University) III. Volkswagen Foundation. IV. Series: Ecological Studies; v. 84.
QH545.F5F575 1990 574.5'2623--dc20 90-10007
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Preface
In 1977, the Volkswagen Foundation sponsored the first of a series
of International Symposia on Fire Ecology at Freiburg University,
Federal Republic of Germany. The scope of the congresses was to
create a platform for researchers at a time when the science of fire
ecology was not yet recognized and established outside of North
America and Australia. Whereas comprehensive information on the
fire ecology of the northern boreal, the temperate, and the mediter
ranean biotas is meanwhile available, it was recognized that conside
rable gaps in information exist on the role of fire in tropical und sub
tropical ecosystems. Thus it seemed timely to meet the growing
scientific interest and public demand for reliable and updated infor
mation and to synthesize the available knowledge of tropical fire
ecology and the impact of tropical biomass burning on global eco
system processes.
The Third Symposium on Fire Ecology, again sponsored by the
Volkswagen Foundation and held at Freiburg University in May
1989, was convened to prepare this first pantropical and multidisci
plinary monograph on fire ecology!. The book, in which 46 scientists
cooperated, analyzes those fire-related ecosystem processes which
have not yet been described in a synoptic way. Following the editor's
concept, duplication at previous efforts in describing tropical vegeta
tion patterns and dynamics was avoided. Extensive bibliographical
sources are given in the reference lists of the chapters.
The contributions in this book cover tropical and subtropical ter
restrial fire ecology, fire history, climatology, atmospheric chemi
stry, and remote sensing. The fire-soil and fire-wildlife interactions
will be covered in a separate volume. The main emphasis in this book
is laid on the analysis of the dual role of fire in tropical vegetation. It
is recognized that natural and anthropogenic fire regimes in the
tropics are undergoing dramatic changes. The increase of fire
frequency, together with the enormous demand for fuelwood and
!The contributions on fire ecology in Mediterranean and northern biotas given
in the first part of the symposium are published separately (J.G. Goldammer
and M.J. Jenkins [eds.] 1990. Fire in Ecosystem Dynamics Mediterranean and
Northern Perspectives. SPB Academic Publ., The Hague).
Preface VI
for agricultural and grazing lands, have led to severe degradation
processes in forests and other vegetation. Vast amounts of aerosol
and gaseous emissions from savanna fires and forest conversion have
considerable impact on the chemistry of the atmosphere. The regio
nal contributions in the first part of the book cover the terrestrial fire
ecology in the main vegetation types of tropical Asia, America, and
Australia. Information on advanced fire management in the savanna
and grassland biomes comes from Southern Africa. Detailed infor
mation is also given on the use and the effects of prescribed fire in the
management of industrial plantations with introduced pine species.
The prehistorical and historical views on wildland fire intend to
clarify the role of man in the development of tropical fire regimes.
Three chapters on remote sensing of tropical fires provide the most
recent knowledge on the state of the art and highlight the perspecti
ves and needs of monitoring tropical fires from space. In three con
tributions substantial emphasis is placed on the emissions from tropi
cal biomass burning, the injection of trace gases into the atmo
sphere, and on the formation of photochemical smog. The final
chapter deals with scenarios of vegetation and wildfire response to a'
warming global climate expected to develop due to technological
emissions and due to conversion and burning of tropical vegetation.
In the Freiburg Declaration on Tropical Fires the scientists parti
cipating at the Symposium underscored the need for immediate
action to reduce tropical forest conversion and vegetation degrada
tion by fire. In the declaration it was also pointed out that the Inter
national Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) should serve as a
vehicle for international multidisciplinary research in global fire eco
logy. The initiative is taken by this book.
J.G. GOLDAMMER
Contents
1 Fire in Tropical Ecosystems and Global
Environmental Change: An Introduction
D. MUELLER-DoMBOIS and J.G. GOLDAMMER
(With 1 Figure) . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Deforestation in the Tropics 2
1.3 Patterns of Succession . . . . 3
1.4 Changes in Fire Regimes and Biodiversity 4
1.5 The Future of Tropical Forests and Forestry 5
1.6 Global Impacts on Climate and Soil . 7
1. 7 Conclusions 9
References ....... . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 The Impact of Droughts and Forest Fires on Tropical
Lowland Rain Forest of East Kalimantan
J.G. GOLDAMMER and B. SEIBERT (With 6 Figures). 11
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 Climatic Variability and Fire Regimes 12
2.3 The 1982-83 ENSO, its Predecessors
and the Wildfires 16
2.3.1 The 1982-83 ENSO . . . . . . . 16
2.3.2 Predecessors .......... 19
2.3.3 The Wildfire Scenario in 1982-83 21
2.4 Forest Regeneration after the 1982-83 Fires . 23
2.4.1 The Regeneration Process 25
2.4.1.1 Primary Forest ... 25
2.4.1.2 Logged-Over Forest. 26
2.5 Conclusions 27
References ......... . 28
3 The Role of Fire in the Tropical Lowland
Deciduous Forests of Asia
P.A. STOTT, J.G. GOLDAMMER, and W.L. WERNER
(With 5 Figures) . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.1 Fire: An Alien Ecological Pressure? ........ 32
VIII Contents
3.2 Fire Patterns in Time and Space. 34
3.2.1 Timing and Origins 34
3.2.2 Fire and Fuel .. 36
3.3 Fire Management 41
References ....... . 43
4 Fire in the Pine-Grassland Biomes of Tropical
and Subtropical Asia
J.G. GOLDAMMER and S.R. PENAFIEL
(With 6 Figures) . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4.2 Adaptive Traits of Tropical Pines to Fire 46
4.2.1 Character of Bark 47
4.2.2 Rooting Habit . . . . . . . . 48
4.2.3 Basal Sprouting . . . . . . . 50
4.2.4 Site and Fuel Characteristics 50
4.3 Origin and Extent of Fires 50
4.4 Management Considerations 52
4.4.1 Distribution of the Pine-Grassland
Fire Climax in Luz6n . . . . . . . 52
4.4.2 Main Ecological Challenges . . . . 55
4.4.2.1 Grass Species Composition and Site Degradation . 55
4.4.2.2 Fire-Host Tree-Insect Interactions 58
4.5 Conclusions and Outlook 59
References ................ . 60
5 Fire in Some Tropical and Subtropical South
American Vegetation Types: An Overview
R. V. SOARES (With 6 Figures) 63
5.1 Introduction ............... . 63
5.2 Tropical Rain Forest .......... . 64
5.3 Trade Wind Forest of Venezuela and Columbia 65
5.4 "Baba~u" Palm Forest 66
5.5 Steppe ........ . 67
5.6 Savanna or "Cerrado" . 67
5.7 Coastal Rain Forest . 67
5.8 Subtropical Forest ... 68
5.9 Brazilian Pine Forest . 69
5.10 Steppic Savanna or "Chaco" 74
5.11 Subtropical and Araucaria Forests of Chile
and Argentina . . . . . 75
5.12 N onforested Areas .. 76
5.13 Exotic Planted Forests 77
References .......... . 80
Contents IX
6 Fire in the Ecology of the Brazilian Cerrado
L.M. COUTINHO (With 8 Figures) .. 82
6.1 Introduction ............... . 82
6.2 Regimes and Causes of Fire in the Cerra do 86
6.3 The Abiotic Effects of Fire 88
6.3.1 Air Temperature ... . 88
6.3.2 Soil Temperatures ..... . 88
6.3.3 Cycling of Mineral Nutrients 90
6.4 The Biotic Effects of Fire 96
6.4.1 Resistance to Fire ... 96
6.4.2 Primary Productivity .,. 97
6.4.3 Stability of the Vegetation 98
6.4.4 Flowering .. 99
6.4.5 Dispersion of Seeds 100
6.4.6 Germination of Seeds 100
6.4.7 Fire and Fauna .. 100
6.5 Management by Fire 101
References .. . . .. .. 103
7 Fire in the Tropical Rain Forest of the Amazon Basin
P.M. FEARNSIDE (With 1 Figure) . . . . . . . . 106
7.1 Ancient and "Natural" Fires .......... 106
7.2 Deforestation and Burning in Amazonia Today. 107
7.3 Types and Qualities of Burning . . . . . . . . 109
7.4 Impacts of Burning on Amazonian Vegetation 112
7.5 Indirect Effects of Burning 114
References .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
8 Interactions of Anthropogenic Activities, Fire,
and Rain Forests in the Amazon Basin
J.B. KAUFFMAN and C. UHL (With 1 Figure) 117
8.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
8.2 The Fire Environment ...... . 118
8.2.1 Fire History of Tropical Rain Forests 118
8.2.2 Fuel Biomass and Arrangement . . . 119
8.2.2.1 Defining Tropical Rain Forest Fuels 119
8.2.2.2 Variability in Fuel Loads . . . . . . 119
8.2.2.3 Effects on Disturbance on Fuel Biomass 120
8.2.3 Microclimates and Fire in Tropical Rain Forests 121
8.2.4 Susceptibility of Tropical Rain Forest
Ecosystems to Fire ........ . 123
8.2.5 Fire Behavior and Biomass Consumption
in Tropical Rain Forests . . . . . . . . . 125
8.3 Vegetation Adaptations and Responses to Fire 125
x Contents
8.3.1 Bark Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
8.3.2 Anomalous Arrangement of Stem Tissues 127
8.3.3 Vegetative Sprouting ........ . 127
8.3.4 Seedbanks .............. . 129
8.3.5 Dispersal Mechanisms as Adaptations
for Fire Survival . . . . . . . 130
8.3.6 Fire-Enhanced Flowering .. 131
8.4 The Winners and the Losers 131
References .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
9 Social and Ecological Aspects of Fire in Central America
A.L. KOONCE and A. GONzALES-CABAN
(With 5 Figures) . . . . . 135
9.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . 135
9.2 Socio-Economic Factors 137
9.3 Tropical Forest Resources 138
9.4 Fire in the Tropical Forests of Central America. 141
9.4.1 Fire Effects on Soils . . . . 143
9.4.2 Fire Effects on Pine Forests . . . . 146
9.4.3 Fire Effects on Dry Forests . . . . 150
9.4.4 Fire Effects on the Aripo Savannas 154
9.4.5 Fire Effects on Montane Forests 154
9.5 Closing Remarks 155
References .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
10 Fires and Their Effects in the Wet-Dry Tropics
of Australia
A.M. GILL, J.R.L. HOARE, and N.P. CHENEY
(With 4 Figures) . . . . . 159
10.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
10.2 Location and Landscape .......... . 160
10.3 Proneness to Fires and the Fire's Characteristics 161
10.3.1 Fuels ................ . 161
10.3.2 Fire Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
10.3.3 Ignition Sources and Fire Frequencies 162
10.3.4 Fire Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . 164
10.4 Fire's Impact on Plants: Demographic Aspects 165
10.5 Fire and Communities. . . . . . 168
10.5.1 Eucalypt Forests and Woodlands 168
10.5.2 "Fire-Sensitive" Communities 170
10.6 Fire Management 172
10.6.1 National Parks 172
10.6.2 Cattle Raising . 173
10.6.3 Invasive Plants 174