Effects Of Fire On Carbon Storage From Forested Swamps Ecosystem In Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Northeast China

Fire disturbance plays an important role in wetland ecosystems. Although the wetlands only accounts for a very small part of the global land ground, while it commonly is a important carbon sink of the land ecosystems. Because of the Xiaoxing’an Mountains of China’s northeast is the frequent area of the fire disturbance as well as a major distribution area of China’s wetlands. Therefore, based on five kinds of forested swamps in Xiaoxing’an Mountains:The Alnus sibirica swamp, Betula platyphylla swamp, Larix gmelinii-Carex schmidtii swamp, Larix gmelinii-moss swamp, Larix gmelinii-Sphagnum spp. Swamp were object of study, established12standard type sites (20×30m2), by comparative analysis both from burned and unburned sites, using carbon/nitrogen analyzer Multi N/C3100(Analytik Jena AG, Germany) analysed the carbon concentration of the sample, the paper in order to study influences of the ecosystems carbon reserves from the forested swamps,17monthes after at the end of April2009wildfire. Results show that:The vegetation carbon storage from forested swamps after fire had more influence, and influence degree as along with different types of forested swamps and fire severity were differ. However, the vegetation carbon stocks of burned sites or unburned sites from forested swamps were ranged from14.79to67.63t C·hm-2. Usually, the tree layer carbon storage from the forested swamps after fire were disappeared or significantly reduced by43.8to100.0%, while the carbon reserves of the herb layer and shrub layer after fire were increased by17.4to588.0%. But due to the tree layer was main body in vegetation community, the reason made vegetation carbon reserves were significantly reduced by37.8to76.0%.The litter carbon stocks of the burned sites or unburned sites from forested swamps were ranged from0.40to2.07Kg C·m-2. However, the liter carbon storage of the ground from forested swamps after fire had more influence. the litter carbon storage after fire were reduced by35.5to78.0%, litter carbon storage in the Alnus sibirica and sphagnum swamp after high severity burned had greatly decreased compared with other sites, while the Betula platyphylla swamp and Larix gmelinii-Carex schmidtii swamp were relational small. Litter carbon storage in the Larix gmelinii-Carex schmidtii swamp and Larix gmelinii-moss swamp after Low fire were significantly decreased, while the Betula platyphylla swamp has already recovered to the level before burned.The soil carbon stocks of burned sites or unburned sites from forested swamps were ranged from8.98to44.80Kg C·m-2. The soil carbon reserves from forested swamps after fire have different influence law due to the different types of forested swamps and burned degree. The low severity burned made the soil carbon storage increased from the Larix gmelinii-moss swamp by206.24%. High severity burned made the soil carbon storage increased from the Alnus sibirica by138.10%, while made the Larix gmelinii-Sphagnum spp. Swamp decreased by68.21%. but the soil carbon storage both from the Betula platyphylla swamp and Larix gmelinii-Carex schmidtii swamp after fire were no significant influence.The carbon stocks of burned sites or unburned sites from the forested swamp ecosystems were ranged from156.18to500.54t C·hm-2. The carbon reserves from forested swamps ecosystems after fire have different influence law because of the different types of forested swamps and burned degree. Due to soil sotrage was primarily decided to carbon sink function of swamps ecosystems. According to the forested swamp ecosystem response to fire, ecological system carbon storage in the Betula platyphylla swamp and Larix gmelinii-Carex schmidtii swamp after low severity burned reduced by23.2%and8.5%, respectively, but Larix gmelinii-moss swamp greatly increase by120.4%. High severity burned after, however, carbon reserves in the Alnus sibirica swamp and Betula platyphylla swamp ecosystems were increase by91.8%and21.3%, respectively, and the carbon storage in the Larix gmelinii-Carex swamp and Larix gmelinii-Sphagnum spp. Swamp ecosystem reduce by11.3%and68.8%. Therefore, The paper will build up a solid theory basis for China’s northeast wetland development while prescribed burning is applied as a tool for the carbon management.