Environmental Change in Siberia

ADVANCES IN GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH

VOLUME 40

Editor-in-Chief

Martin Beniston, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Editorial Advisory Board

B. Allen-Diaz, Department ESPM-Ecosystem Sciences, University of California,

Berkeley, CA, USA.

R.S. Bradley, Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,

MA, USA.

W. Cramer, Earth System Analysis, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research,

Potsdam, Germany.

H.F. Diaz, Climate Diagnostics Center, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, NOAA,

Boulder, CO, USA.

S. Erkman, Institute for communication and Analysis of Science and Technology–ICAST,

Geneva, Switzerland.

R. Garcia Herrera, Faculated de Fisicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
M. Lal, Center for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India.
U. Luterbacher, The Graduate Institute of International Studies, University of Geneva,

Geneva, Switzerland

.

I. Noble, CRC for Greenhouse Accounting and Research School of Biological Science,

Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

.

L. Tessier, Institut Mediterranéen d’Ecologie et Paléoécologie, Marseille, France.
F. Toth, International Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ec Joint Research

Centre, Ispra (VA), Italy

.

M.M. Verstraete, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ec Joint Research Centre,

Ispra (VA), Italy

.

For other titles published in this series, go to
www.springer.com/series/5588

Heiko Balzter

Editor

Environmental Change

in Siberia

Earth Observation, Field Studies

and Modelling

Editor

Heiko Balzter

Department of Geography

University of Leicester, Centre for Environmental Research

University Road

Leicester

United Kingdom

[e-mail]

ISBN 978-90-481-8640-2

e-ISBN 978-90-481-8641-9

DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8641-9

Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010927687

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written
permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose
of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.

Cover illustration

: Main photo: The foreground features subalpine meadows surrounding by Pinus

Sibirica dominated woodlands, the background an alpine ridge in the Ergaki mountains called “Sleeping
Sayan”, photo by D.M. Ismailova. Top photo: A Larix sibirica above a landscape leading towards the
South Altai Mountains, photo by V.I. Kharuk.

Printed on acid-free paper

Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)

To Judith, Dominik and Julian...

vii

Preface

The Siberian environment is a unique region of the world that is both very strongly
affected by global climate change and at the same time particularly vulnerable to
its consequences. The news about the melting of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean and
the prospect of an ice-free shipping passage from Scandinavia to Alaska along the
Russian north coast has sparked an international debate about natural resource
exploitation, national boundaries and the impacts of the rapid changes on people,
animals and plants. Over the last decades Siberia has also witnessed severe forest
fires to an extent that is hard to imagine in other parts of the world where the popu-
lation density is higher, the fire-prone ecosystems cover much smaller areas and the
systems of fire control are better resourced. The acceleration of the fire regime
poses the question of the future of the boreal forest in the taiga region. Vegetation
models have already predicted a shift of vegetation zones to the north under sce-
narios of global climate change. The implications of a large-scale expansion of the
grassland steppe ecosystems in the south of Siberia and a retreat of the taiga forest
into the tundra systems that expand towards the Arctic Ocean would be very signifi-
cant for the local population and the economy.

I have studied Russian forests from remote sensing and modelling for about

11 years now and still find it a fascinating subject to investigate. Over this time period
Russia has undergone substantial social, political and economic changes and devel-
oped excellent remote sensing centres that now enjoy a world wide reputation. From
1998 to 2000 the European funded project SIBERIA, in which I started my post-
doctoral research career and which was led by Professor Chris Schmullius from Jena,
produced the first Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) map of forest growing stock over
an area of 1 million square kilometers. At the time, the German Aerospace Agency
(DLR) had to move a mobile receiving station to Lake Baikal to be able to record the
first SAR images of the region. The forest map used over 600 images from three
radar sensors, and led to the insight that the remaining forest cover in Siberia is much
less than previous global change studies assumed. In the follow-on project
SIBERIA-II we examined a much wider concept of using a whole range of biophysi-
cal data products from a multitude of satellites in a full greenhouse gas account over
a region of 3 million square kilometers. This study was the first such attempt to
incorporate many variables that would now be called Essential Climate Variables by
the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) into a real greenhouse gas account.

viii

Preface

When I took up the Chair in Physical Geography at the University of Leicester

in 2006 I invited a number of eminent researchers with interests in environmental
change in Siberia to visit Leicester for a Symposium on Environmental Change in
Siberia. We enjoyed 2 days packed with exciting presentations and full of inspiring
conversations over coffee, tea and dinner. This book is primarily the outcome of this
Symposium with a few additions from authors who I invited to contribute. I am
particularly grateful to the University of Leicester for its financial support for the
Symposium and to all participants for their contributions to this book. I also want
to thank Alex Szumski who was a crucial helper in getting the book manuscript to
the printing stage.

The structure of this book covers environmental change processes in the bio-

sphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere and concludes with two contributions on
environmental information systems that are being developed to safeguard data that
are vital to further advance our understanding of Siberian ecosystems.

Leicester, September 2009

Prof. Heiko Balzter

ix

Contents

Part I Biosphere

1 Forest Disturbance Assessment Using Satellite Data

of Moderate and Low Resolution ............................................................

3

M.A. Korets, V.A. Ryzhkova, I.V. Danilova, A.I. Sukhinin,
and S.A. Bartalev

2 Fire/Climate Interactions in Siberia ....................................................... 21

H. Balzter, K. Tansey, J. Kaduk, C. George,
F. Gerard, M. Cuevas Gonzalez, A. Sukhinin,
and E. Ponomarev

3 Long-Term Dynamics of Mixed Fir-Aspen Forests

in West Sayan (Altai-Sayan Ecoregion) .................................................. 37
D.M. Ismailova and D.I. Nazimova

4 Evidence of Evergreen Conifers Invasion into Larch

Dominated Forests During Recent Decades ........................................... 53
V.I. Kharuk, K.J. Ranson, and M.L. Dvinskaya

5 Potential Climate-Induced Vegetation Change

in Siberia in the Twenty-First Century ................................................... 67
N.M. Tchebakova, E.I. Parfenova, and A.J. Soja

6 Wildfire Dynamics in Mid-Siberian Larch Dominated Forests ............ 83

V.I. Kharuk, K.J. Ranson, and M.L. Dvinskaya

7 Dendroclimatological Evidence of Climate Changes

Across Siberia ........................................................................................... 101
V.V. Shishov and E.A. Vaganov

x

Contents

8 Siberian Pine and Larch Response to Climate Warming

in the Southern Siberian Mountain Forest: Tundra Ecotone ............. 115
V.I. Kharuk, K.J. Ranson, M.L. Dvinskaya, and S.T. Im

Part II Hydrosphere

9 Remote Sensing of Spring Snowmelt in Siberia ................................... 135

A. Bartsch, W. Wagner, and R. Kidd

10 Response of River Runoff in the Cryolithic Zone

of Eastern Siberia (Lena River Basin) to Future
Climate Warming .................................................................................... 157
A.G. Georgiadi, I.P. Milyukova, and E.A. Kashutina

Part III Atmosphere

11 Investigating Regional Scale Processes Using Remotely

Sensed Atmospheric CO

2

Column Concentrations

from SCIAMACHY ................................................................................ 173
M.P. Barkley, A.J. Hewitt, and P.S. Monks

12 Climatic and Geographic Patterns of Spatial Distribution

of Precipitation in Siberia ...................................................................... 193
A. Onuchin and T. Burenina

Part IV Information Systems

13 Interoperability, Data Discovery and Access:

The e-Infrastructures for Earth Sciences Resources ........................... 213
S. Nativi, C. Schmullius, L. Bigagli,
and R. Gerlach

14 Development of a Web-Based Information-Computational

Infrastructure for the Siberia Integrated Regional Study .................. 233
E.P. Gordov, A.Z. Fazliev, V.N. Lykosov, I.G. Okladnikov,
and A.G. Titov

15 Conclusions .............................................................................................. 253

H. Balzter

Appendix .......................................................................................................... 255

Index ................................................................................................................. 279

xi

Contributors

Heiko Balzter
Department of Geography, University of Leicester, Centre for Environmental
Research, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
[e-mail]

M.P. Barkley
School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building,
The King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JN, UK
[e-mail]

S.A. Bartalev
Space Research Institute (IKI), 117997, 84/32 Profsoyuznaya str.,
Moscow, Russia
[e-mail]

A. Bartsch
Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing,
Vienna University of Technology, Gusshausstraße 27–29, 1040 Vienna, Austria
[e-mail]

Lorenzo Bigagli
Friedrich-Schiller-University, Institute for Geography,
Earth Observation, Grietgasse 6, 07743 Jena, Germany
[e-mail]

T. Burenina
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036, Krasnoyarsk,
Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

Maria Cuevas Gonzalez
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane,
Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
[e-mail]

xii

Contributors

I.V. Danilova
Sukachev Institute of Forest (SIF), 660036, 50/28,
Akademgorodok str., Krasnoyarsk, Russia
[e-mail]

M.L. Dvinskaya
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036,
Krasnoyarsk, Academgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

A.Z. Fazliev
Institute of Atmospheric Optics SB RAS, 634055, Tomsk,
Akademicheski ave., 1, Russia
[e-mail]

Charles George
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane,
Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
[e-mail]

A.G. Georgiadi
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Staromonetny per., 29, 119017 Moscow, Russia
[e-mail]

France Gerard
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane,
Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
[e-mail]

Roman Gerlach
Friedrich-Schiller-University, Institute for Geography, Earth Observation,
Grietgasse 6, 07743 Jena, Germany
[e-mail]

E.P. Gordov
Siberian Center for Environmental research and Training
and Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems SB RAS,
634055, Tomsk, Akademicheski ave., 10/3, Russia
[e-mail]

A.J. Hewitt
Earth Observation Science group, Departments of Physics and Chemistry,
University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
[e-mail]

S.T. Im
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036, Krasnoyarsk,
Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

xiii

Contributors

D.M. Ismailova
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036,
Krasnoyarsk, Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

Jörg Kaduk
Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Geography
University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
[e-mail]

E.A. Kashutina
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Staromonetny per., 29, 119017 Moscow, Russia
[e-mail]

V.I. Kharuk
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036, Krasnoyarsk,
Academgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

R. Kidd
Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vienna University of
Technology, Gusshausstraße, 27–29, 1040 Vienna, Austria and now at Spatial
Information & Mapping Centre, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
[e-mail]

M.A. Korets
Sukachev Institute of Forest (SIF), 50/28, Akademgorodok street,
660036, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
[e-mail]

V.N. Lykosov
Institute for Numerical Mathematics RAS, Moscow, Russia
[e-mail]

I.P. Milyukova
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Staromonetny per., 29, 119017 Moscow, Russia
[e-mail]

P.S. Monks
Earth Observation Science group, Departments of Physics and Chemistry,
University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
[e-mail]

Stefano Nativi
Italian National Research Council – IMAA and University of Florence at Prato
[e-mail]

xiv

Contributors

D.I. Nazimova
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036, Krasnoyarsk,
Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

I.G. Okladnikov
Siberian Center for Environmental research and Training and Institute of
Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems SB RAS, 634055, Tomsk,
Akademicheski ave., 10/3, Russia
[e-mail]

A. Onuchin
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036,
Krasnoyarsk, Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

E.I. Parfenova
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036,
Krasnoyarsk, Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

Evgeni Ponomarev
Sukachev Institute of Forest, Siberian branch of Russian Academy of Sciences,
660036, Krasnoyarsk, Academgorogok, Russia
[e-mail]

K.J. Ranson
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
[e-mail]

V.A. Ryzhkova
Sukachev Institute of Forest (SIF), 50/28, Akademgorodok Street,
660036, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
[e-mail]

Christiana Schmullius
Friedrich-Schiller-University, Institute for Geography, Earth Observation,
Grietgasse 6, 07743 Jena, Germany
[e-mail]

Vladimir V. Shishov
IT and Math. Modelling Department, Krasnoyarsk State Trade-Economical
Institute, L. Prushinskoi St., Krasnoyarsk, 660075, Russia
[e-mail]
And Dendroecology Department, Sukachev Institute of Forest,
Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences,
Akademgorodok St., Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia

xv

Contributors

A.J. Soja
National Institute of Aerospace, Resident at NASA Langley Research Center 21
Langley Boulevard, Mail Stop 420, Hampton, VA 23681-2199, USA
[e-mail]

A.I. Sukhinin
Sukachev Institute of Forest (SIF), 660036, 50/28,
Akademgorodok str., Krasnoyarsk, Russia
[e-mail]

Kevin Tansey
Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Geography
University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
[e-mail]

N.M. Tchebakova
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, SB RAS, 660036, Krasnoyarsk,
Akademgorodok, 50, Russia
[e-mail]

A.G. Titov
Siberian Center for Environmental research and Training and Institute of
Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems SB RAS, 634055, Tomsk,
Akademicheski ave., 10/3, Russia
[e-mail]

Eugene A. Vaganov
Siberian Federal University, 79 Svobodnji Ave, Krasnoyarsk 660041, Russia
[e-mail]

W. Wagner
Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing,
Vienna University of Technology, Gusshausstraße, 27–29, 1040 Vienna, Austria
[e-mail]