Interactions between fire and flooding in a southern African floodplain system (Okavango Delta, Botswana) |
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Authors: | Michael Heinl Amy Neuenschwander Jan Sliva Cornelis Vanderpost |
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Affiliation: | (1) Chair of Vegetation Ecology, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Am Hochanger 6, D-85350 Freising, Germany;(2) Center for Space Research, University of Texas at Austin, 3925 W. Braker Lane, Suite 200, 78759 Austin, TX;(3) Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre, University of Botswana, Private Bag 285, Maun, Botswana |
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Abstract: | A series of 98 satellite images was analysed to reconstruct the fire and flood history of a floodplain system in southern Africa (Okavango Delta, Botswana). The data was used to investigate interactions between fire and flooding, and to determine the relevance of rainfall and flood-events for fire occurrences on floodplains and on drylands. The aims of the study are (1) to analyse and compare the fire frequency on floodplains and on adjacent drylands, (2) to investigate the influence of rainfall and flooding on the fire occurrence and (3) to determine correlations between fire frequency and flood frequency. The analyses show higher fire frequencies on floodplains than on drylands because of higher biomass production and fuel loads. The fire occurrence on drylands shows a correlation with annual rainfall events, while the fire frequency on floodplains is in principle determined by the flood frequency. Between floodplain types, clear differences in the susceptibility to fire where shown by analysing flood frequency vs. fire frequency. Here, the highest potential to burn was found for floodplains that get flooded about every second year. By calculating mean fire return intervals, the potential to burn could be specified for the different floodplain types. |
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Keywords: | Fire ecology Fire frequency Fire history Flood frequency Landsat Remote sensing Satellite images Savanna Swamp Wetland |
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