1. The biogeochemical consequences of late Holocene wildfires in three subalpine lakes from northern Colorado
- Author
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David P. Pompeani, Kendra K. McLauchlan, Barrie V. Chileen, Philip E. Higuera, Bryan N. Shuman, and W. John Calder
- Subjects
010506 paleontology ,Archeology ,Global and Planetary Change ,Biogeochemical cycle ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Fire regime ,δ13C ,Stable isotope ratio ,Sediment ,Geology ,δ15N ,01 natural sciences ,Oceanography ,Environmental science ,Montane ecology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Holocene ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
Wildfire activity has been increasing in forests of western North America over the past several decades. However, the biogeochemical effects of changing fire regimes are poorly understood. Here, we utilize sediment records from three subalpine lakes in northern Colorado (Hinman, Gold Creek, and Summit) to investigate the biogeochemical consequences of charcoal-inferred fire events over the past ∼2500 years. We measured element concentrations and stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N) in lake sediments to track past biogeochemical processes. On average, fires were followed by increases in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur concentrations in lake sediments, which lasted ∼20 years, while titanium and other metals found in terrestrial mineral material decreased. These changes were only statistically significant (p
- Published
- 2020
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