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Fire Response to Local Climate Variability: Huascarán National Park, Peru

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Fire Response to Local Climate Variability: Huascarán National Park, Peru Fire Ecology Volume 13, Issue 2, 2017 All et al.: Fire and Climate in Peru doi: 10.4996/fireecology.130288764 Page 85 RESEARCH ARTICLE FIRE RESPONSE TO LOCAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY: HUASCARÁN NATIONAL PARK, PERU John All1*, Michael Medler2, Sylvie Arques2, Rebecca Cole3, Tommy Woodall4, Justin King4, Jun Yan4, and Carl Schmitt5 1 Department of Environmental Sciences, Huxley College, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, Washington 98225-9085, USA 2 Department of Environmental Studies, Huxley College, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, Washington 98225-9085, USA 3 Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1910 East-West Road., Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA 4 Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101, USA 5 National Center for Atmospheric Research, Earth Systems Laboratory, Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology, 3090 Center Green Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80301-3000, USA *Corresponding author: Tel.: +1-270-745-5975; e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT RESUMEN In Huascarán National Park (HNP), En el Parque Nacional Huascarán de Perú, el Peru, grazing and anthropogenic burn- pastoreo y las quemas antropogénicas han in- ing have been interacting for decades teractuado por décadas con igniciones natura- with natural ignitions and climate vari- les y la variabilidad climática, para configurar ability to reconfigure the fire regimes of los regímenes de fuego de las comunidades the vegetative communities. However, vegetales. Sin embargo durante décadas re- over the last few decades, human alter- cientes, las alteraciones humanas en los regí- ations to the region’s fire regime were menes de fuegos de la región han sido percibi- perceived by resource managers to das por los gestores de recursos como que ha have led to an overall increase in fire habido un incremento en la ocurrencia y tama- occurrence and fire extent. Resource ño de los incendios. Estos gestores están aho- managers are now very concerned ra preocupados por los impactos del incremen- about the impacts of increasing anthro- to de fuegos antropogénicos en ese Parque Na- pogenic fires in the National Park be- cional, dado que los mismos parecieran inte- cause these fires seem to disrupt eco- rrumpir procesos ecológicos y afectar el turis- logical processes and tourism. To test mo. Para probar esas creencias y examinar la these beliefs and examine the fire activ- actividad de incendios entre 2002 y 2014, usa- ity from 2002 to 2014, we used a time mos series de tiempo de diferentes productos y Fire Ecology Volume 13, Issue 2, 2017 All et al.: Fire and Climate in Peru doi: 10.4996/fireecology.130288764 Page 86 series of several different data products datos incluyendo los de la plataforma del MO- including the MODIS Terra and Aqua DIS Terra and Aqua (incendios activos y área platforms (Active Fire and Burned quemada), y también datos locales de tempera- Area) as well as local air temperature tura del aire y precipitación. La distribución and precipitation data. The intra-annu- intra-anual de incendios en el Parque Nacional al distribution of fires in the HNP and Huascarán (HNP) y de su zona buffer (BZ) its buffer zone (BZ) showed a consis- mostró un incremento consistente en el núme- tent increase in the number of active ro de incendios activos y áreas quemadas du- fires and burned areas during the dry rante la estación seca (invierno en el Perú). season (Peruvian winter). The active Las anomalías activas de fuegos mostraron fire anomalies showed higher fire activ- mayor actividad en el HNP en el período 2002 ity in the HNP over the period 2002 to al 2014. Sin embargo, las anomalías en el área 2014. However, burned area anomalies quemada mostraron incrementos consistentes showed consistently higher fire activity en la actividad de fuegos en la BZ en los años in the BZ during the high fire years in de alta actividad de incendios en 2003, 2005, 2003, 2005, 2010, and 2014. The spa- 2010, y 2014. La distribución espacial de las tial distribution of areas burned in the áreas quemadas en el HNP y en la BZ desde HNP and the BZ from 2002 to 2014 2002 hasta 2014 mostró que los incendios más showed that most recurrent burning recurrentes fueron dentro de la BZ, lo que está was inside the BZ, which is in compli- de acuerdo con las políticas del parque, pero ance with the HNP’s policy but in con- que se contradicen con las percepciones de los tradiction with local resource manag- gestores de recursos. Aunque la actividad hu- ers’ perceptions. Although human ac- mana puede influenciar la dinámica local de tivity may influence local fire dynam- los incendios, las respuestas del fuego parecie- ics, fire responses seemed to be mainly ran estar mayormente influenciadas por las os- influenced by local climate oscillations. cilaciones del clima local y, en particular, por Our results suggest a clear fire response la variabilidad en la precipitación. Sin embar- to local climate and, in particular, to go, pareciera que hay un bajo intervalo de re- precipitation variability. However, it torno del fuego para un lugar en particular, y appears that there was a low fire return que el área total quemada en un año en parti- interval for any given location and that cular es relativamente baja. Por lo tanto, fue- the total area burned for a given year is gos de pequeña escala crean la apariencia de relatively small. Therefore, small-scale impactos mayores (causados por grandes in- fires created an appearance of larger cendios) cuando en realidad éstos no ocurren fire impacts than actually occur within dentro del HNP o la BZ. En este caso, la per- the HNP and its BZ. In this instance, cepción de la ocurrencia de los incendios y los fire perception and fire reality are not que en realidad ocurren no concuerdan, y el aligning and the new challenge for re- nuevo desafío para los gestores de recursos es source managers is how best to recon- como encontrar la mejor manera de reconciliar cile these two factors to more effective- estos dos factores para manejar más efectiva- ly manage the parklands. mente estos parques. Keywords: Andes, climate variability, fire extent, fire occurrence, MODIS, Peru, satellite imagery Citation: All, J., M. Medler, S. Arques, R. Cole, T. Woodall, J. King, J. Yan, and C. Schmitt. 2017. Fire response to local climate variability: Huascarán National Park, Peru. Fire Ecology 13(2): 85–104. doi: 10.4996/fireecology.130288764 Fire Ecology Volume 13, Issue 2, 2017 All et al.: Fire and Climate in Peru doi: 10.4996/fireecology.130288764 Page 87 INTRODUCTION ality, and spatial distribution from 2002 to 2014; and 2) assess the relationships between The Peruvian Andes provide critical eco- temperature and precipitation and fire activity. system services for human populations and First, we hypothesized that the HNP expe- harbor high levels of biodiversity, including riences higher fire occurrences than the BZ. endemic and threatened species. Because of Secondly, we hypothesized that there has been the strong interdependence of human and nat- an increase in the fire frequency and extent ural systems, this region is particularly vulner- over the last decade. Finally, based on previ- able to the impacts of climate change and en- ous research, we surmised that fire activity is vironmental degradation. Deforestation, con- strongly influenced by local climate variability. version of land for agricultural uses, and in- creased grazing pressure have extensively al- Human Drivers and Fire Activity tered high altitude vegetation cover (Byers 2000, Sarmiento and Frolich 2002, Postigo et In the tropical Andes, anthropogenic fires al. 2008, Young 2009). In addition, the Cor- have been interacting with natural ignitions for dillera Blanca (CB) is undergoing rapid chang- millennia to reconfigure the fire regime and es due to rising temperatures (Vuille et al. population dynamics of the vegetation com- 2008a, Rabatel et al. 2013, Schauwecker et al. munities (Byers 2000, Young and Lipton 2006, 2014, Vuille et al. 2015) and glacial retreat DiPasquale et al. 2008, Young 2009). In the (Postigo et al. 2008, Racoviteanu et al. 2008, Peruvian Andes, Paduano et al. (2003) found Silverio and Jaquet 2012, Burns and Nolin low abundances of local and regional charcoal 2014). One of the most significant ecological in the sediments of Lake Titicaca at circa consequences of these changes is a change in 17 700 yr BP. Bush et al. (2005) reported a fire activity (Román-Cuestaet al. 2014). progressive increase in pollen concentration The response of fire activity to short-term and charcoal between circa 15 000 yr BP and climate variability and human influence is still 11 000 yr BP that corresponds to an increase in poorly understood in the CB due to the ab- vegetative cover and biomass. They also re- sence of historical data and ground-based fire ported a sharp increase in charcoal abundance references. Consequently, changes at the local circa 3500 yr BP (mid to late Holocene) that level remain to be documented. Our goal was corresponds with archaeological evidence of to assess preexisting conceptions and help lo- expanding human presence in the area. In- cal Huascarán National Park (HNP), Peru, creased anthropogenic disturbance and major land managers better understand how the spa- influx of larger charcoal fragments are report- tial and temporal patterns of local fires and fire ed throughout the Andes during the late Holo- regimes have been changing over the last de- cene (since circa 1200 yr BP; Chepstow-Lusty cade in response to both anthropogenic and et al. 1998, Bush et al. 2005, Villota and Beh- climatic influences. We offer some insights ling 2014). Humans influence fire regimes into the relationship between changes in fire (spread, intensity and severity, number and activity, human influence, and local climate spatial and temporal patterns of fires) by modi- variability on fire in the HNP and its buffer fying key variables (e.g., fuel type, fuel struc- zone (BZ) over the period 2002 to 2014.
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