Evolution of fire activity in arid Central Asia since ∼12.9 ka: Transitioning from natural to anthropogenic forces

IF 5.4 1区农林科学 Q1 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Catena Pub Date : 2025-06-02 DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2025.109213

Wensheng Zhang , Guoqiang Ding , Yong Zhang , Yuecong Li , Bing Li , Chao Lu , Bo Tan , Aijun Sun , Yang Fu , Chengbang An

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Abstract

Fire activity plays a crucial role in carbon emissions and climate change worldwide. Investigating the long-term history and driving mechanisms of fire activity can provide a scientific foundation for future fire management policies. Fragile ecosystems in arid Central Asia (ACA) are significantly affected by fire activity, and more regional fires are occurring against the backdrop of global warming. However, owing to the absence of long-term sedimentary records, knowledge of fire activity history and potential driving factors in ACA remains limited. Therefore, in this study, we analyze loess-paleosol sediments from the central Tianshan Mountains, using black carbon (BC) and charcoal influx indicators to investigate the evolution of fire activity since ∼12.9 ka (1 ka = 1000 cal yr BP). Furthermore, by integrating data on climate, vegetation, and human activities, we explore the interactions between fire activity, climate, vegetation, and human activities. The results indicate that since ∼12.9 ka, the influxes of BC and charcoal have steadily increased, reflecting a corresponding rise in fire activity in the study area, which peaked after ∼1 ka. Between ∼12.9 and 1 ka, fire activity was primarily driven by biomass (fuel) availability, which was influenced by westerly strength (precipitation/humidity). As precipitation and humidity increased, the contraction of desert vegetation communities and the significant expansion of steppe vegetation communities promoted the accumulation of biomass (fuel), ultimately leading to increased fire activity. Additionally, temperature has also played a significant role in the occurrence of fire activity. However, since ∼1 ka, with the substantial increase in anthropogenic pollen, regional population, and agricultural and pastoral activities, fire activity has become decoupled from its relationship with biomass (fuel) controlled by precipitation/humidity. Human activities may have become the dominant driver of fire activity.

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12.9 ka以来中亚干旱地区火活动的演变：从自然力量到人为力量的过渡

火灾活动在全球碳排放和气候变化中起着至关重要的作用。研究火灾活动的长期历史和驱动机制可以为未来的火灾管理政策提供科学依据。干旱的中亚地区脆弱的生态系统受到火灾活动的严重影响，在全球变暖的背景下，越来越多的区域火灾正在发生。然而，由于缺乏长期的沉积记录，对火活动历史和潜在驱动因素的认识仍然有限。因此，本研究以天山中部黄土-古土壤沉积物为研究对象，利用黑碳（BC）和炭流指标研究了约12.9 ka （1 ka = 1000 cal yr BP）以来的火活动演化。此外，通过整合气候、植被和人类活动数据，我们探索了火灾活动、气候、植被和人类活动之间的相互作用。结果表明，自~ 12.9 ka以来，BC和木炭的流入稳步增加，反映出研究区域的火灾活动相应增加，在~ 1 ka后达到峰值。在~ 12.9 ~ 1 ka之间，火灾活动主要受生物质（燃料）有效性驱动，而生物质（燃料）有效性受西风强度（降水/湿度）的影响。随着降水和湿度的增加，荒漠植被群落的收缩和草原植被群落的显著扩张促进了生物质（燃料）的积累，最终导致火灾活动增加。此外，温度在火灾活动的发生中也起着重要作用。然而，自1 ka以来，随着人为花粉、区域人口以及农业和畜牧业活动的大量增加，火灾活动与降水/湿度控制的生物量（燃料）的关系已经脱钩。人类活动可能已经成为火灾活动的主要驱动力。

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来源期刊

Catena 环境科学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

10.50

自引率

9.70%

发文量

816

审稿时长

54 days

期刊介绍： Catena publishes papers describing original field and laboratory investigations and reviews on geoecology and landscape evolution with emphasis on interdisciplinary aspects of soil science, hydrology and geomorphology. It aims to disseminate new knowledge and foster better understanding of the physical environment, of evolutionary sequences that have resulted in past and current landscapes, and of the natural processes that are likely to determine the fate of our terrestrial environment. Papers within any one of the above topics are welcome provided they are of sufficiently wide interest and relevance.