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Fire as a fundamental ecological process: Research advances and frontiers
Author(s) -
McLauchlan Kendra K.,
Higuera Philip E.,
Miesel Jessica,
Rogers Brendan M.,
Schweitzer Jennifer,
Shuman Jacquelyn K.,
Tepley Alan J.,
Varner J. Morgan,
Veblen Thomas T.,
Adalsteinsson Solny A.,
Balch Jennifer K.,
Baker Patrick,
Batllori Enric,
Bigio Erica,
Brando Paulo,
Cattau Megan,
Chipman Melissa L.,
Coen Janice,
Crandall Raelene,
Daniels Lori,
Enright Neal,
Gross Wendy S.,
Harvey Brian J.,
Hatten Jeff A.,
Hermann Sharon,
Hewitt Rebecca E.,
Kobziar Leda N.,
Landesmann Jennifer B.,
Loranty Michael M.,
Maezumi S. Yoshi,
Mearns Linda,
Moritz Max,
Myers Jonathan A.,
Pausas Juli G.,
Pellegrini Adam F. A.,
Platt William J.,
Roozeboom Jennifer,
Safford Hugh,
Santos Fernanda,
Scheller Robert M.,
Sherriff Rosemary L.,
Smith Kevin G.,
Smith Melinda D.,
Watts Adam C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.452
H-Index - 181
eISSN - 1365-2745
pISSN - 0022-0477
DOI - 10.1111/1365-2745.13403
Subject(s) - ecology , fire ecology , fire regime , ecosystem , functional ecology , temporal scales , environmental resource management , fire protection , ecological systems theory , environmental science , geography , biology , engineering , civil engineering
Fire is a powerful ecological and evolutionary force that regulates organismal traits, population sizes, species interactions, community composition, carbon and nutrient cycling and ecosystem function. It also presents a rapidly growing societal challenge, due to both increasingly destructive wildfires and fire exclusion in fire‐dependent ecosystems. As an ecological process, fire integrates complex feedbacks among biological, social and geophysical processes, requiring coordination across several fields and scales of study. Here, we describe the diversity of ways in which fire operates as a fundamental ecological and evolutionary process on Earth. We explore research priorities in six categories of fire ecology: (a) characteristics of fire regimes, (b) changing fire regimes, (c) fire effects on above‐ground ecology, (d) fire effects on below‐ground ecology, (e) fire behaviour and (f) fire ecology modelling. We identify three emergent themes: the need to study fire across temporal scales, to assess the mechanisms underlying a variety of ecological feedbacks involving fire and to improve representation of fire in a range of modelling contexts. Synthesis : As fire regimes and our relationships with fire continue to change, prioritizing these research areas will facilitate understanding of the ecological causes and consequences of future fires and rethinking fire management alternatives.