title: Fire in Australian savannas: from leaf to landscape.
abstract: Savanna ecosystems comprise 22% of the global terrestrial surface and 25% of Australia (almost 1.9 million km2) and provide significant ecosystem services through carbon and water cycles and the maintenance of biodiversity. The current structure, composition and distribution of Australian savannas have coevolved with fire, yet remain driven by the dynamic constraints of their bioclimatic niche. Fire in Australian savannas influences both the biophysical and biogeochemical processes at multiple scales from leaf to landscape. Here, we present the latest emission estimates from Australian savanna biomass burning and their contribution to global greenhouse gas budgets. We then review our understanding of the impacts of fire on ecosystem function and local surface water and heat balances, which in turn influence regional climate. We show how savanna fires are coupled to the global climate through the carbon cycle and fire regimes. We present new research that climate change is likely to alter the structure and function of savannas through shifts in moisture availability and increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in turn altering fire regimes with further feedbacks to climate. We explore opportunities to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from savanna ecosystems through changes in savanna fire management.
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia; School of Geography and Environmental Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beringer
authors.forename: Lindsay B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Hutley
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: Stefan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Arndt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: Mila
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bristow
authors.forename: Josep G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Canadell
authors.forename: Lucas A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cernusak
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eamus
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fest
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goergen
authors.forename: Samantha P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: Jorg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haverd
authors.forename: Kasturi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanniah
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Livesley
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raupach
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russell-Smith
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheiter
authors.forename: Nigel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Tapper
authors.forename: Petteri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Uotila
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002980:Climate; D057231:Climate Change; D017753:Ecosystem; D005390:Fires; D065948:Grassland; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon
keywords: biomass burning; climate feedbacks; greenhouse gas exchange; net ecosystem carbon balance; savanna