Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: Concentrations of mercury (Hg) in soil profiles and vegetation were examined in unburned areas and in areas recently burned by wildfires of low, medium, and high fire severities in western Wyoming. Paired unburned and burned sampling sites with similar tree species composition, forest stand age, climate, and geological substrate were studied. Results indicate that Hg release from forest fires is dependent on the tree species composition of the forest, which affects prefire Hg accumulation, as well as the forest fire severity. On the basis of an average of 2.7 × 106 ha of forest and shrubland burned annually in the United States we estimate that wildfires and prescribed burns in the United States release 19 to 64 × 106g of Hg annually. This represents between 13 and 42% of the estimated United States anthropogenic Hg flux of 150 × 106g.
Source: Global Biogeochemical Cycles
DOI: 10.1029/2006gb002696
Institution: University of Michigan
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: National Interagency Fire Center
OpenAlex ID: W1501195950