Carbon Losses during a Grass-Roots Fire in Southern Drained Swamp Pine Forests of the Taiga Subzone of European Russia

The consequences of a fire on an area of 29 hectares in drained shrub-sphagnum pine forests have been studied. Post-pyrogenic carbon losses by forest stands, peat soils and the living ground cover were estimated. The relations between the burnt aboveground phytomass of a stand, in particular the stem wood, and the phytomass of the remaining living trees were shown. Carbon losses from the aboveground phytomass of the stand amount to (kgC/m²) 1.74, from peat soils 0.40–2.52. and from the ground cover 0.37. The total carbon losses from a medium-intensity fire can reach 3.79 kgC/m² (37.9 t/ha).