Sequestered Carbon in the Above-ground Phytomass of Forests Affected by Fires of Different Intensity

The purpose of our research is to test and refine for the East European forest-steppe region the current in the Russian Federation methodology for predictive quantitative assessment of the ratio of losses and preserved sequestered carbon in above-ground phytomass of forests affected by fires of varying intensity. We have assessed the reserves of forest combustible materials, the potential losses of living and dead wood and, accordingly, the losses of sequestered carbon during forest fires of varying intensity on test plots in the pine forests of the Voronezh region. It has been established that the current version of calculating carbon losses in forests affected by fires is simplified, insufficiently differentiated by type and intensity of forest fires, and also gives overestimated values of carbon losses in forests affected by fires.