Fire-Enhanced Soil Carbon Sequestration in Wetlands: A 5000-Year Record from the Ussuri River, Northeast China

Using high-resolution charcoal and TOC records from a sediment core collected in a coastal wetland along the middle reaches of the Ussuri River, the local fire history and carbon accumulation patterns were reconstructed for the past 5000 years. Results indicate that fire intensity remained relatively low and stable from 5000 to 1500 cal. yr BP, after which it increased markedly. This trend intensified over the past 400 years, likely due to rapid population growth and heightened anthropogenic disturbance. Regional fire frequency averaged approximately 3.1 fires per 1500 years, with notable peaks during 5000–4600 cal. yr BP, 3400–2400 cal. yr BP, and 1500 cal. yr BP to present. These high-fire intervals correspond closely to regional warm and dry climatic conditions, underscoring the strong influence of climate variability on fire activity. Carbon accumulation rates also showed a significant increase, rising from 0.11 g·kg⁻¹·a⁻¹ around 5000 years ago to 1.60 g·kg⁻¹·a⁻¹ in recent centuries. Importantly, a significant positive correlation was observed between fire regimes and carbon accumulation rates, suggesting that fires have potentially played a key role in enhancing long-term carbon sequestration in wetlands of this region. These findings highlight the complex interplay between fire, climate, and carbon dynamics in wetland ecosystems.