Savanna vegetation-fire-climate relationships differ among continents

Caroline E R Lehmann; T. Michael Anderson; Mahesh Sankaran; Steven I. Higgins; Sally Archibald; William A. Hoffmann; Niall P. Hanan; Richard J. Williams; Roderick J. Fensham; Jeanine Felfili; Lindsay B. Hutley; Jayashree Ratnam; Jose San Jose; Ruben Montes; Don Franklin; Jeremy Russell-Smith; Casey M. Ryan; Giselda Durigan; Pierre Hiernaux; Ricardo Haidar; David M J S Bowman; William J. Bond

doi:10.1126/science.1247355

Savanna vegetation-fire-climate relationships differ among continents

Caroline E R Lehmann^*, T. Michael Anderson, Mahesh Sankaran, Steven I. Higgins, Sally Archibald, William A. Hoffmann, Niall P. Hanan, Richard J. Williams, Roderick J. Fensham, Jeanine Felfili, Lindsay B. Hutley, Jayashree Ratnam, Jose San Jose, Ruben Montes, Don Franklin, Jeremy Russell-Smith, Casey M. Ryan, Giselda Durigan, Pierre Hiernaux, Ricardo HaidarDavid M J S Bowman, William J. Bond

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

513 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ecologists have long sought to understand the factors controlling the structure of savanna vegetation. Using data from 2154 sites in savannas across Africa, Australia, and South America, we found that increasing moisture availability drives increases in fire and tree basal area, whereas fire reduces tree basal area. However, among continents, the magnitude of these effects varied substantially, so that a single model cannot adequately represent savanna woody biomass across these regions. Historical and environmental differences drive the regional variation in the functional relationships between woody vegetation, fire, and climate. These same differences will determine the regional responses of vegetation to future climates, with implications for global carbon stocks.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	548-552
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	343
Issue number	6170
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247355
Publication status	Published - 31 Jan 2014

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Lehmann, C. E. R., Anderson, T. M., Sankaran, M., Higgins, S. I., Archibald, S., Hoffmann, W. A., Hanan, N. P., Williams, R. J., Fensham, R. J., Felfili, J., Hutley, L. B., Ratnam, J., San Jose, J., Montes, R., Franklin, D., Russell-Smith, J., Ryan, C. M., Durigan, G., Hiernaux, P., ... Bond, W. J. (2014). Savanna vegetation-fire-climate relationships differ among continents. Science, 343(6170), 548-552. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247355

@article{dcdf51dc4a3149c0a1ae896ae14f106c,

title = "Savanna vegetation-fire-climate relationships differ among continents",

abstract = "Ecologists have long sought to understand the factors controlling the structure of savanna vegetation. Using data from 2154 sites in savannas across Africa, Australia, and South America, we found that increasing moisture availability drives increases in fire and tree basal area, whereas fire reduces tree basal area. However, among continents, the magnitude of these effects varied substantially, so that a single model cannot adequately represent savanna woody biomass across these regions. Historical and environmental differences drive the regional variation in the functional relationships between woody vegetation, fire, and climate. These same differences will determine the regional responses of vegetation to future climates, with implications for global carbon stocks.",

author = "Lehmann, {Caroline E R} and Anderson, {T. Michael} and Mahesh Sankaran and Higgins, {Steven I.} and Sally Archibald and Hoffmann, {William A.} and Hanan, {Niall P.} and Williams, {Richard J.} and Fensham, {Roderick J.} and Jeanine Felfili and Hutley, {Lindsay B.} and Jayashree Ratnam and {San Jose}, Jose and Ruben Montes and Don Franklin and Jeremy Russell-Smith and Ryan, {Casey M.} and Giselda Durigan and Pierre Hiernaux and Ricardo Haidar and Bowman, {David M J S} and Bond, {William J.}",

year = "2014",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1247355",

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Lehmann, CER, Anderson, TM, Sankaran, M, Higgins, SI, Archibald, S, Hoffmann, WA, Hanan, NP, Williams, RJ, Fensham, RJ, Felfili, J, Hutley, LB, Ratnam, J, San Jose, J, Montes, R, Franklin, D, Russell-Smith, J, Ryan, CM, Durigan, G, Hiernaux, P, Haidar, R, Bowman, DMJS & Bond, WJ 2014, 'Savanna vegetation-fire-climate relationships differ among continents', Science, vol. 343, no. 6170, pp. 548-552. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247355

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AU - Sankaran, Mahesh

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AU - Archibald, Sally

AU - Hoffmann, William A.

AU - Hanan, Niall P.

AU - Williams, Richard J.

AU - Fensham, Roderick J.

AU - Felfili, Jeanine

AU - Hutley, Lindsay B.

AU - Ratnam, Jayashree

AU - San Jose, Jose

AU - Montes, Ruben

AU - Franklin, Don

AU - Russell-Smith, Jeremy

AU - Ryan, Casey M.

AU - Durigan, Giselda

AU - Hiernaux, Pierre

AU - Haidar, Ricardo

AU - Bowman, David M J S

AU - Bond, William J.

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AB - Ecologists have long sought to understand the factors controlling the structure of savanna vegetation. Using data from 2154 sites in savannas across Africa, Australia, and South America, we found that increasing moisture availability drives increases in fire and tree basal area, whereas fire reduces tree basal area. However, among continents, the magnitude of these effects varied substantially, so that a single model cannot adequately represent savanna woody biomass across these regions. Historical and environmental differences drive the regional variation in the functional relationships between woody vegetation, fire, and climate. These same differences will determine the regional responses of vegetation to future climates, with implications for global carbon stocks.

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Savanna vegetation-fire-climate relationships differ among continents

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