scholarly journals Fire regimes, biodiversity conservation and prescribed-burning programs

2012 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Malcolm Gill
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Royal Commission ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Protection Of Life ◽  
Conservation Of Biodiversity ◽  
Safe Working

In the trend towards the domestication, or taming, of fire regimes in Victoria, Australia, the level of prescribed burning has been stepped up due to a recommendation from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. While prescribed burning programs may be instituted for a number of reasons, especially the protection of life and property, they have consequences for the conservation of biodiversity. Not all vegetation types can be prescribed burned because the weather does not always allow it to occur under safe working conditions; where prescribed burning programs are carried out, unplanned fires may still occur. Thus, the general issue is the effect on biodiversity of both prescribed and unplanned fires, neither alone. Here, the importance to biodiversity conservation of all the components of the fire regime– interval, season, intensity and type (peat fire or otherwise) – and their domain of variability is emphasized. If conservation of biodiversity is to be guaranteed in a changing fire world, then much more knowledge about the systems being managed, gained in large part through effective monitoring, is needed. Issues such as targets and some assumptions of management are addressed here.

scholarly journals A reconstruction of the recent fire regimes of Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi, using remote sensing

Fire Ecology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem A. Nieman ◽  
Brian W. van Wilgen ◽  
Alison J. Leslie
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Local Evidence ◽  
Hot Dry Season ◽  
Wildlife Reserve

Abstract Background Fire is an important process that shapes the structure and functioning of African savanna ecosystems, and managers of savanna protected areas use fire to achieve ecosystem goals. Developing appropriate fire management policies should be based on an understanding of the determinants, features, and effects of prevailing fire regimes, but this information is rarely available. In this study, we report on the use of remote sensing to develop a spatially explicit dataset on past fire regimes in Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi, between 2001 and 2019. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images were used to evaluate the recent fire regime for two distinct vegetation types in Majete Wildlife Reserve, namely savanna and miombo. Additionally, a comparison was made between MODIS and Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) images by separately evaluating selected aspects of the fire regime between 2012 and 2019. Results Mean fire return intervals were four and six years for miombo and savanna vegetation, respectively, but the distribution of fire return intervals was skewed, with a large proportion of the area burning annually or biennially, and a smaller proportion experiencing much longer fire return intervals. Variation in inter-annual rainfall also resulted in longer fire return intervals during cycles of below-average rainfall. Fires were concentrated in the hot-dry season despite a management intent to restrict burning to the cool-dry season. Mean fire intensities were generally low, but many individual fires had intensities of 14 to 18 times higher than the mean, especially in the hot-dry season. The VIIRS sensors detected many fires that were overlooked by the MODIS sensors, as images were collected at a finer scale. Conclusions Remote sensing has provided a useful basis for reconstructing the recent fire regime of Majete Wildlife Reserve, and has highlighted a current mismatch between intended fire management goals and actual trends. Managers should re-evaluate fire policies based on our findings, setting clearly defined targets for the different vegetation types and introducing flexibility to accommodate natural variation in rainfall cycles. Local evidence of the links between fires and ecological outcomes will require further research to improve fire planning.

scholarly journals The origins of prescribed burning in Scandinavian forestry: the seminal role of Joel Wretlind in the management of fire-dependent forests

2019 ◽  
Vol 139 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-406
Author(s):  
Sarah Cogos ◽  
Samuel Roturier ◽  
Lars Östlund
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
The State ◽  
Natural Processes ◽  
Forest Manager ◽  
Forest District

AbstractIn Sweden, prescribed burning was trialed as early as the 1890s for forest regeneration purposes. However, the origins of prescribed burning in Sweden are commonly attributed to Joel Efraim Wretlind, forest manager in the State Forest district of Malå, Västerbotten County, from 1920 to 1952. To more fully understand the role he played in the development of prescribed burning and the extent of his burning, we examined historical records from the State Forest Company’s archive and Wretlind’s personal archive. The data showed that at least 11,208 ha was burned through prescribed burning between 1921 and 1970, representing 18.7% of the Malå state-owned forest area. Wretlind thus created a new forestry-driven fire regime, reaching, during peak years, extents close to historical fire regimes before the fire suppression era, and much higher than present-day burning. His use of prescribed fire to regenerate forests served as a guide for many other forest managers, spreading to all of northern Sweden during the 1950–1960s. Our analysis of Wretlind’s latest accounts also shows how he stood against the evolutions of modern forestry to defend a forestry system based on the reproduction of natural processes, such as fire.

scholarly journals Fire regimes in eastern coastal fynbos: Imperatives and thresholds in managing for diversity

Koedoe ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tineke Kraaij ◽  
Richard M. Cowling ◽  
Brian W. Van Wilgen
Keyword(s):  
Fire Ecology ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Plant Management ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant

Until recently, fire ecology was poorly understood in the eastern coastal region of the Cape Floral Kingdom (CFK), South Africa. Rainfall in the area is aseasonal and temperatures are milder than in the winter-rainfall and drier inland parts of the CFK, with implications for the management of fire regimes. We synthesised the findings of a research programme focused on informing ecologically sound management of fire in eastern coastal fynbos shrublands and explored potential east–west trends at the scales of study area and CFK in terms of fire return interval (FRI) and fire season. FRIs (8–26 years; 1980–2010) were comparable to those elsewhere in the CFK and appeared to be shorter in the eastern Tsitsikamma than in the western Outeniqua halves of the study area. Proteaceae juvenile periods (4–9 years) and post-fire recruitment success suggested that for biodiversity conservation purposes, FRIs should be ≥ 9 years in eastern coastal fynbos. Collectively, findings on the seasonality of actual fires and the seasonality of fire danger weather, lightning and post-fire proteoid recruitment suggested that fires in eastern coastal fynbos are not limited to any particular season. We articulated these findings into ecological thresholds pertaining to the different elements of the fire regime in eastern coastal fynbos, to guide adaptive management of fire in the Garden Route National Park and elsewhere in the region.Conservation implications: Wildfires are likely to remain dominant in eastern coastal fynbos, whilst large-scale implementation of prescribed burning is unattainable. Fires occurring in any season are not a reason for concern, although other constraints remain: the need for sufficient fire intensity, safety requirements, and integration of fire and invasive alien plant management.

scholarly journals Comparing selected fire regime condition class (FRCC) and LANDFIRE vegetation model results with tree-ring data

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyson L. Swetnam ◽  
Peter M. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Tree Ring ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Reference Conditions ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
Map Data ◽  
Fire Regime Condition Class

Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) has been developed as a nationally consistent interagency method in the US to assess degree of departure between historical and current fire regimes and vegetation structural conditions across differing vegetation types. Historical and existing vegetation map data also are being developed for the nationwide LANDFIRE project to aid in FRCC assessments. Here, we compare selected FRCC and LANDFIRE vegetation characteristics derived from simulation modeling with similar characteristics reconstructed from tree-ring data collected from 11 forested sites in Utah. Reconstructed reference conditions based on trees present in 1880 compared with reference conditions modeled by the Vegetation Dynamics Development Tool for individual Biophysical Settings (BpS) used in FRCC and LANDFIRE assessments showed significance relationships for ponderosa pine, aspen, and mixed-conifer BpS but not for spruce–fir, piñon–juniper, or lodgepole pine BpS. LANDFIRE map data were found to be ~58% accurate for BpS and ~60% accurate for existing vegetation types. Results suggest that limited sampling of age-to-size relationships by different species may be needed to help refine reference condition definitions used in FRCC assessments, and that more empirical data are needed to better parameterize FRCC vegetation models in especially low-frequency fire types.

The contradictory role of fire from the nature conservation perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orsolya Valkó
Keyword(s):  
Nature Conservation ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Fire Policy

<p>Fire is a globally relevant natural or anthropogenic phenomenon with a rapidly increasing importance in the era of the climate change. In each year, approximately 4% of the global land surface burns. For effective ecosystem conservation, we need to understand fire regimes, identify potential threats, and also the possibilities in the application of prescribed burning for maintaining ecosystems.</p><p>Here I provide an overview on the contradictory role of fire in nature conservation from two continents with contrasting fire histories, focusing on European and North-American grasslands. I show that the ecological effects of fire depend on the fire regime, fire history, ecosystem properties and the socio-economic environment. Catastrophic wildfires, arson, too frequent or improperly planned human-induced fire often lead to the degradation of the ecosystems, the disappearance of rare plant and animal species, and to the encroachment of weed and invasive species. I illustrate with examples that these negative fire effects act synergistically with the human-induced changes in land use systems.</p><p>I also underline with case studies that in both regions, properly designed and controlled prescribed burning regimes can aid the understanding and managing disturbance-dependent ecosystems. Conservation in these dynamic and complex ecosystems is far more than fencing and hoping to exclude disturbance; but the contrary: disturbance is needed for ecosystem functioning. Therefore, the conservation of dynamic, diverse and functioning ecosystems often require drastic interventions and an unconventional conservation attitude. However, the expanding urban-wildlife interface makes the application of prescribed burning challenging worldwide. A major message for the future is about fire policy: it is crucial to moderate the negative effects of fire, however, properly designed prescribed burning should be used as a tool for managing and conserving disturbance-dependent ecosystems.</p>

Simulation of prescribed burning strategies in south-west Tasmania, Australia: effects on unplanned fires, fire regimes, and ecological management values

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. King ◽  
Geoffrey J. Cary ◽  
Ross A. Bradstock ◽  
Joanne Chapman ◽  
Adrian Pyrke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Treatment Level ◽  
Prescribed Burn ◽  
Burn Treatment ◽  
South West ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Mean

Computer simulation modelling provides a useful approach for determining the trade-offs between the extent of prescribed burning and the long-term impacts of unplanned fires on management values. In the present study, FIRESCAPE-SWTAS, a process-based fire regime and vegetation dynamics model, was used in the World Heritage Area of south-west Tasmania, Australia, to investigate the implications of different prescribed burning treatments on identified management objectives. Treatments included annual prescribed burning of different proportions of the most flammable vegetation community, buttongrass moorlands. Additionally, a proposed strategic burning treatment for this landscape was simulated for comparison with these treatments. Simulations identified the nature of the relationships between the prescribed burn treatment level and the fire size distributions, the mean incidence, and the mean annual areas burnt by unplanned fires, with all three parameters declining with increases in treatment level. The study also indicated that strategically located treatment units were able to enhance the reduction in the fire risk to vegetation species susceptible to fire (fire-intolerant species).

Contemporary fire regime risks to key ecological assets and processes in north Australian savannas

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Edwards ◽  
Jeremy Russell-Smith ◽  
Mick Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Suspended Sediment Transport ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Positive Effects

Despite the intact appearance of relatively unmodified north Australian savannas, mounting evidence indicates that contemporary fire regimes characterised by frequent, extensive and severe late dry season wildfires are having deleterious effects on a range of regional water, soil erosion, biodiversity conservation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions values. For the high rainfall (>1000 mm year–1) savannas (426 000 km2), we assessed the spatial effects of contemporary fire regimes within the context of ecosystem response models and three plausible alternative fire management scenarios on ecosystem attributes. Over the 2008–12 assessment period, mean annual fire frequency (0.53) comprised mostly late dry season fires. Although spatially variable, contemporary fire regimes resulted in substantial GHG emissions, hill slope erosion and suspended sediment transport, a slight decline in carbon biomass and slight positive effects on fire-vulnerable vegetation. Based on available climate change models and strategic fire management practice, we show that, relative to business-as-usual, improved fire management involving strategic prescribed burning results in substantial benefits to most ecosystem attributes, including under enhanced climate change conditions, whereas in the absence of improved fire management, climate change results in substantially worse outcomes.

Fire Management in Coastal Sage-scrub, Southern California, USA

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
George P. Malanson
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Coastal Sage Scrub ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Sage Scrub ◽  
Fire Intervals

Wildland fire management directly affects the forces of natural selection to which plant taxa become adapted. Changes in a fire regime will often result in changes in the relative abundance of particular species, and may cause the extinction of some of them. Life-history characteristics are important indicators of adaptation to recurrent disturbance, such as may be produced by fire. The incorporation of these characteristics in a computer simulation allows of the projection of species abundance under different fire regimes.Through prescribed burning and fire suppression, fire interval and fire intensity can be controlled to some extent. The fire intensity for given sets of fuel, site, and meteoro-logical conditions, representing given fire-intervals, is calculated with the use of a fire behaviour computer simulation. These results are incorporated in computer simulation of the demographic competition of the five dominant shrub species of coastal sage-scrub in the Santa Monica Mountains of southern California: Artemisia californica, Encelia californica, Eriogonum cinereum, Salvia leucophylla, and S. mellifera. The model incorporates resprouting proportions, seedling establishment, and growth, and assumes survivorship rates in simulating scramble competition for space. Foliar cover-values of the five species are projected for nine different fire regimes. Short fire-intervals of the order of 10–20 years, such as might occur under a regime of prescribed burning, may eliminate or greatly reduce some species, whereas longer intervals allow the maintenance of a more diverse community especially of shrubs. Fixed and variable interval-lengths do not produce appreciably different results.This study suggests that prescribed burning at 10–20 years' intervals should not be used indiscriminately to reduce wildland fire hazard in southern California. The fire intervals that will reduce the hazard, may eliminate some dominant native shrub species. A ‘natural’ fire regime which would maintain the natural vegetation while constituting only a minimum hazard to homesites may, unfortunately, be mutually exclusive goals in the coastal sage-scrub of southern California.

Large fires, fire effects and the fire-regime concept

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Malcolm Gill ◽  
Grant Allan
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Spatial Variables ◽  
Historical Series ◽  
Large Fires

‘Large’ fires may be declared so because of their absolute or relative area. Huge fires – with areas of more than 106 ha (104 km2) have occurred across a wide spectrum of Australian environments and are known on other continents. Such large fires are rare whereas fires with much smaller areas are common. Large fires are initiated by single or multiple ignitions and become large because of some combination of: rapid rates of spread; long ‘life’; merging, and failure of initial suppression operations. Fires as ecological ‘events’ occur within a ‘regime’ – an historical series. Both events and regimes have effects that may be discerned in terms of water, land, air or organisms. What have been regarded as the components of ‘regimes’ have differed between observers, the main issue being whether or not spatial variables need to be included; ‘area’ involvement is briefly addressed. The current trend toward fire-regime control through fuel treatment, including management (prescribed) burning, and fire suppression may be expected to continue. These trends, among others, can be expected to change fire regimes. What is regarded as ‘large’ among fires may change as the planet becomes increasingly human-dominated.

Surface runoff and erosion after prescribed burning and the effect of different fire regimes in forests and shrublands: a review

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Cawson ◽  
G. J. Sheridan ◽  
H. G. Smith ◽  
P. N. J. Lane
Keyword(s):  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prescribed Burn ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
Burnt Areas

This paper examines the state of knowledge about the effects of prescribed burning on surface runoff and erosion at point to catchment scales in forests and shrublands. Fires can increase surface runoff and erosion by removing vegetation, changing soil hydrologic properties and providing a readily erodible layer of sediment and ash. Catchment-scale studies in prescribed-burnt areas usually report minimal impacts from the burn. However, measurements at smaller spatial scales suggest that large changes to hydrologic properties and processes do occur, and a debris-flow example from Australia demonstrates that large catchment-scale impacts are possible. It appears that existing catchment-scale studies in prescribed burns do not capture these large events as the sample size (i.e. number of studies) is too small relative to the infrequency of such events. Furthermore, numerous knowledge gaps across all spatial scales limit understanding of the processes contributing to post-prescribed burn runoff and erosion. Understanding the influence of fire regime characteristics on post-fire runoff and erosion is particularly important in the context of prescribed burning, as fire regimes can be manipulated to reduce erosion and water-quality impacts. Therefore, two directions for future research are recommended: (1) process-based studies to understand the factors controlling surface runoff and erosion, particularly in relation to aspects of the fire regime; and (2) landscape-scale surveys to quantify large erosion events.

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