Fire and biodiversity in the Anthropocene

Science, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 370(6519)

Опубликована: Ноя. 20, 2020

Fire's growing impacts on ecosystems Fire has played a prominent role in the evolution of biodiversity and is natural factor shaping many ecological communities. However, incidence fire been exacerbated by human activity, this now affecting habitats that have never prone or adapted. Kelly et al. review how such changes are already threatening species with extinction transforming terrestrial discuss trends causing regimes. They also consider actions could be taken conservationists policy-makers to help sustain time changing activity. Science , issue p. eabb0355

Язык: Английский

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Fire as a key driver of Earth's biodiversity

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 94(6), С. 1983 - 2010

Опубликована: Июль 12, 2019

Many terrestrial ecosystems are fire prone, such that their composition and structure largely due to regime. Regions subject regular have exceptionally high levels of species richness endemism, has been proposed as a major driver diversity, within the context climate, resource availability environmental heterogeneity. However, current fire-management practices rarely take into account ecological evolutionary roles in maintaining biodiversity. Here, we focus on mechanisms enable act force promotes maintains biodiversity over numerous spatiotemporal scales. From an perspective, vegetation, topography local weather conditions during generate landscape with spatial temporal variation fire-related patches (pyrodiversity), these produce biotic heterogeneity drives across regional There few empirical tests proposition 'pyrodiversity begets biodiversity' but show should peak at moderately pyrodiversity. Overall is greatest immediately after declines monotonically time, postfire successional pathways dictated by animal habitat preferences varying lifespans among resident plants. Theory data support 'intermediate disturbance hypothesis' when mean patch diversity correlated intervals. Postfire persistence, recruitment immigration allow different life histories coexist. population turnover diversification promoting wide range adaptive responses particular regimes. Among 39 comparisons, number 26 fire-prone lineages much higher than non-fire-prone sister lineages. Fire its byproducts may direct mutagenic effects, producing novel genotypes can lead trait innovation even speciation. A paradigm shift aimed restoring biodiversity-maintaining regimes broad landscapes required research management communities. This will require ecologists other professionals spread burgeoning fire-science knowledge beyond scientific publications broader public, politicians media.

Язык: Английский

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Wildfire management in Mediterranean-type regions: paradigm change needed

Environmental Research Letters, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 15(1), С. 011001 - 011001

Опубликована: Ноя. 4, 2019

Abstract During the last decades, climate and land use changes led to an increased prevalence of megafires in Mediterranean-type regions (MCRs). Here, we argue that current wildfire management policies MCRs are destined fail. Focused on fire suppression, these largely ignore ongoing warming landscape-scale buildup fuels. The result is a ‘firefighting trap’ contributes fuel accumulation precluding suppression under extreme weather, resulting more severe larger fires. We believe ‘business as usual’ approach will not solve problem, recommend policy expenditures be rebalanced between mitigation negative impacts fire. This requires paradigm shift: effectiveness should primarily measured function area burned (as it usually is), but rather avoided socio-ecological damage loss.

Язык: Английский

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Alternative Biome States in Terrestrial Ecosystems

Trends in Plant Science, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 25(3), С. 250 - 263

Опубликована: Янв. 6, 2020

Язык: Английский

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Cardiovascular health impacts of wildfire smoke exposure

Particle and Fibre Toxicology, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 18(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 7, 2021

Abstract In recent years, wildland fires have occurred more frequently and with increased intensity in many fire-prone areas. addition to the direct life economic losses attributable wildfires, emitted smoke is a major contributor ambient air pollution, leading significant public health impacts. Wildfire complex mixture of particulate matter (PM), gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile semi-volatile organic compounds. PM from wildfire has high content elemental carbon, lesser amounts metal Epidemiological studies consistently found an association between exposure (typically monitored concentration) respiratory morbidity mortality. However, previous reviews effects not established conclusive link adverse cardiovascular effects. this review, we systematically evaluate published epidemiological observations, controlled clinical studies, toxicological focusing on evidence effects, identify knowledge gaps. Improving assessment identifying sensitive endpoints will serve better understand mechanisms involved. Similarly, filling gaps identified review define smoke, thus informing risk assessments potentially development targeted interventional strategies mitigate impacts smoke.

Язык: Английский

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Current Wildland Fire Patterns and Challenges in Europe: A Synthesis of National Perspectives

Air Soil and Water Research, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 14

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2021

Changes in climate, land use, and management impact the occurrence severity of wildland fires many parts world. This is particularly evident Europe, where ongoing changes use have strongly modified fire patterns over last decades. Although satellite data by European Forest Fire Information System provide large-scale statistics across countries, there still a crucial need to collect summarize in-depth local analysis understanding condition associated challenges Europe. article aims general overview current as perceived national representatives, supplemented (2009–2018) For each 31 countries included, we present perspective authored scientists or practitioners from respective country, representing wide range disciplines cultural backgrounds. The authors were selected members COST Action “Fire Earth System: Science & Society” funded Commission with aim share knowledge improve communication about fire. Where relevant, brief key studies, particular country facing, an notable recent events are also presented. Key included (1) lack consistent detailed records for events, within (2) increase that pose risk properties human life due high population densities sprawl into forested regions, (3) view that, irrespective management, climate change likely frequency coming Addressing challenge will not only be valuable advancing pan-European strategies, but evaluating perceptions against more robust quantitative evidence.

Язык: Английский

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Shifting social-ecological fire regimes explain increasing structure loss from Western wildfires

PNAS Nexus, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 2(3)

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2023

Structure loss is an acute, costly impact of the wildfire crisis in western conterminous United States ("West"), motivating need to understand recent trends and causes. We document a 246% rise West-wide structure from wildfires between 1999-2009 2010-2020, driven strongly by events 2017, 2018, 2020. Increased was not due increased area burned alone. Wildfires became significantly more destructive, with 160% higher structure-loss rate (loss/kha burned) over past decade. primarily unplanned human-related ignitions (e.g. backyard burning, power lines, etc.), which accounted for 76% all resulted 10 times structures destroyed per unit compared lightning-ignited fires. Annual well explained ignitions, while decadal state-level abundance flammable vegetation. Both predictors decades likely interacted fuel aridity drive trends. While states are diverse patterns trends, nearly experienced burning and/or rates, particularly California, Washington, Oregon. Our findings highlight how fire regimes-characteristics space time-are fundamentally social-ecological phenomena. By resolving diversity Western regimes, our work informs regionally appropriate mitigation adaptation strategies. With millions high risk, reducing rethinking we build critical preventing future disasters.

Язык: Английский

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Chemical characteristics of wildfire ash across the globe and their environmental and socio-economic implications

Environment International, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 178, С. 108065 - 108065

Опубликована: Июнь 25, 2023

The mobilisation of potentially harmful chemical constituents in wildfire ash can be a major consequence wildfires, posing widespread societal risks. Knowledge composition is crucial to anticipate and mitigate these Here we present comprehensive dataset on the characteristics wide range ashes (42 types total 148 samples) from wildfires across globe examine their potential environmental implications. An extensive review studies analysing was also performed complement compare our dataset. Most had an alkaline reaction (mean pH 8.8, ranging between 6 11.2). Important were organic carbon (mean: 204 g kg-1), calcium, aluminium, iron 47.9, 17.9 17.1 kg-1). Mean nitrogen phosphorus ranged 1 25 kg-1, 0.2 9.9 respectively. largest concentrations metals concern for human ecosystem health observed manganese 1488 mg kg-1; three ecosystems > 1000 zinc 181 two 500 kg-1) lead 66.9 200 Burn severity sampling timing key factors influencing like pH, concentrations. highest readily dissolvable fractions (as % dry weight) water sodium (18 %) magnesium (11.4 %). Although elements very close to, or exceeded international contamination standards some ashes, actual effect will depend loads dilution into matrices such as water, soil sediment. Our approach serve initial methodological standardisation analysis protocols.

Язык: Английский

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Assessing changes in global fire regimes

Fire Ecology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 20(1)

Опубликована: Фев. 8, 2024

Abstract Background The global human footprint has fundamentally altered wildfire regimes, creating serious consequences for health, biodiversity, and climate. However, it remains difficult to project how long-term interactions among land use, management, climate change will affect fire behavior, representing a key knowledge gap sustainable management. We used expert assessment combine opinions about past future regimes from 99 researchers. asked quantitative qualitative assessments of the frequency, type, implications regime beginning Holocene through year 2300. Results Respondents indicated some direct influence on since at least ~ 12,000 years BP, though natural variability remained dominant driver until around 5,000 most study regions. Responses suggested ten-fold increase in frequency during last 250 compared with rest Holocene, corresponding first intensification extensification use later anthropogenic change. Looking future, were predicted intensify, increases severity, size all biomes except grassland ecosystems. Fire showed different sensitivities across biomes, but likelihood increased higher warming scenarios biomes. Biodiversity, carbon storage, other ecosystem services decrease under emission scenarios. present recommendations adaptation mitigation emerging while recognizing that management options are constrained Conclusion humans over two centuries. perspective gained fires should be considered strategies, novel behavior is likely given unprecedented disruption plant communities, climate, factors. Future degrade services, unless aggressively mitigated. Expert complements empirical data modeling, providing broader science inform decision making research priorities.

Язык: Английский

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Molecular insights and impacts of wildfire-induced soil chemical changes

Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 5(6), С. 431 - 446

Опубликована: Май 14, 2024

Язык: Английский

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