Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon
Anthropogenic climate change—combined with increased human-caused ignitions—is leading to increased wildfire frequency, carbon dioxide emissions, and refractory black carbon (rBC) aerosol emissions. This is particularly evident in the Amazon rainforest, where fire activity has be...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-05-01
|
| Series: | Fire |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/2/2/31 |
| _version_ | 1818001102276132864 |
|---|---|
| author | Monica M. Arienzo S. Yoshi Maezumi Nathan J. Chellman Jose Iriarte |
| author_facet | Monica M. Arienzo S. Yoshi Maezumi Nathan J. Chellman Jose Iriarte |
| author_sort | Monica M. Arienzo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anthropogenic climate change—combined with increased human-caused ignitions—is leading to increased wildfire frequency, carbon dioxide emissions, and refractory black carbon (rBC) aerosol emissions. This is particularly evident in the Amazon rainforest, where fire activity has been complicated by the synchronicity of natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecological change, coupled with spatial and temporal heterogeneity in past and present land use. One approach to elucidating these factors is through long-term regional fire histories. Using a novel method for rBC determinations, we measured an approximately 3500-year sediment core record from Lake Caranã in the eastern Amazon for rBC influx, a proxy of biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion. Through comparisons with previously published records from Lake Caranã and regional evidence, we distinguished between local and regional rBC emission sources demonstrating increased local emissions of rBC from ~1250 to 500 calendar years before present (cal yr BP), coinciding with increased local-scale fire management during the apex of pre-Columbian activity. This was followed by a regional decline in biomass burning coincident with European contact, pre-Columbian population decline, and regional fire suppression associated with the rubber boom (1850−1910 CE), supporting the minimal influence of climate on regional burning at this time. During the past century, rBC influx has rapidly increased. Our results can serve to validate rBC modeling results, aiding with future predictions of rBC emissions and associated impacts to the climate system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:30:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b996a8fc9aaf4f76b98052b9f7cc0258 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:30:27Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj.art-b996a8fc9aaf4f76b98052b9f7cc02582022-12-22T02:15:00ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552019-05-01223110.3390/fire2020031fire2020031Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the AmazonMonica M. Arienzo0S. Yoshi Maezumi1Nathan J. Chellman2Jose Iriarte3Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institution, Reno, NV 89512, USADepartment of Geography and Geology, University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, JamaicaDivision of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institution, Reno, NV 89512, USADepartment of Archaeology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QE, UKAnthropogenic climate change—combined with increased human-caused ignitions—is leading to increased wildfire frequency, carbon dioxide emissions, and refractory black carbon (rBC) aerosol emissions. This is particularly evident in the Amazon rainforest, where fire activity has been complicated by the synchronicity of natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecological change, coupled with spatial and temporal heterogeneity in past and present land use. One approach to elucidating these factors is through long-term regional fire histories. Using a novel method for rBC determinations, we measured an approximately 3500-year sediment core record from Lake Caranã in the eastern Amazon for rBC influx, a proxy of biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion. Through comparisons with previously published records from Lake Caranã and regional evidence, we distinguished between local and regional rBC emission sources demonstrating increased local emissions of rBC from ~1250 to 500 calendar years before present (cal yr BP), coinciding with increased local-scale fire management during the apex of pre-Columbian activity. This was followed by a regional decline in biomass burning coincident with European contact, pre-Columbian population decline, and regional fire suppression associated with the rubber boom (1850−1910 CE), supporting the minimal influence of climate on regional burning at this time. During the past century, rBC influx has rapidly increased. Our results can serve to validate rBC modeling results, aiding with future predictions of rBC emissions and associated impacts to the climate system.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/2/2/31black carbonmacrocharcoaleastern Amazonpre-Columbianfire activity |
| spellingShingle | Monica M. Arienzo S. Yoshi Maezumi Nathan J. Chellman Jose Iriarte Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon Fire black carbon macrocharcoal eastern Amazon pre-Columbian fire activity |
| title | Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon |
| title_full | Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon |
| title_fullStr | Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon |
| title_short | Pre-Columbian Fire Management Linked to Refractory Black Carbon Emissions in the Amazon |
| title_sort | pre columbian fire management linked to refractory black carbon emissions in the amazon |
| topic | black carbon macrocharcoal eastern Amazon pre-Columbian fire activity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/2/2/31 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT monicamarienzo precolumbianfiremanagementlinkedtorefractoryblackcarbonemissionsintheamazon AT syoshimaezumi precolumbianfiremanagementlinkedtorefractoryblackcarbonemissionsintheamazon AT nathanjchellman precolumbianfiremanagementlinkedtorefractoryblackcarbonemissionsintheamazon AT joseiriarte precolumbianfiremanagementlinkedtorefractoryblackcarbonemissionsintheamazon |