I'm sure everyone has been watching the news about the wildfires in California over the past two weeks. Most of the news has discussed the horrible damage fires can cause to homes and the surrounding area, but most ecologists believe that periodic fires are helpful to the general evolution of an ecological community. In this light, I thought it would be a good idea to do a post on the benefits of wildfires.
1. Name two biological communities that experience wildfires.
2. Describe the beneficial role of fire to an ecological community?
3. Define the term succession and describe what role it plays in the evolution of an ecological community. Is fire an example of primary or secondary succession? Support your reasoning.
4. For one of the communities chosen above describe the 4 stages of ecological succession. Discuss the role (facilitation, inhibition, tolerance) of either a plant or an animal for each stage of succession.
5. Describe one fire management technique and one fire suppression technique used today by the US Forestry Service.
Resources:
California Wildfires on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr80oRpD6vI
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management - http://www.fws.gov/fire/living_with_fire/
Ecological Succession on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_succession
USGS Wildfires Fact Sheet - http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3015/2006-3015.pdf
Technology Review's Mapping Wildfires - http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19324/
1. Name two biological communities that experience wildfires.
2. Describe the beneficial role of fire to an ecological community?
3. Define the term succession and describe what role it plays in the evolution of an ecological community. Is fire an example of primary or secondary succession? Support your reasoning.
4. For one of the communities chosen above describe the 4 stages of ecological succession. Discuss the role (facilitation, inhibition, tolerance) of either a plant or an animal for each stage of succession.
5. Describe one fire management technique and one fire suppression technique used today by the US Forestry Service.
Resources:
California Wildfires on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr80oRpD6vI
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Management - http://www.fws.gov/fire/living_with_fire/
Ecological Succession on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_succession
USGS Wildfires Fact Sheet - http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3015/2006-3015.pdf
Technology Review's Mapping Wildfires - http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19324/
10 comments:
Two examples of biological communities where wildfires occur are forests and grasslands.
The wildfires burn a lot of the vegetation so that it decays, re-fertilizing the soil and helps restore and maintain the desirable conditions for wildlife.
Succession is the orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community. Succession can be either primary succession, a volcano destroying everything so a new ecological community forms, or secondary succession, such as a tornado destroying part of an ecological community so that only some vegetation is still there. Fire is secondary succession since it doesn’t destroy everything; there are still some plants and animals remaining so the community is still there.
In the first stage of forest succession, stand re-initiation, the sapling-pole trees quickly inhibit the tolerant trees. In the second stage, stem exclusion, marks the onset of intense inter- and intraspecies competition for limiting resources. The third stage, understory re-initiation, is
a renewed growth of the understory because of the gaps in the canopy caused by tree deaths. In the fourth stage, old-growth, the growth of forests is often 10-70% less than young forests in the stand re-initiation or stem exclusion stages.
The USGS has created the FPI, or Fire Potential Index, which depicts the wildfire potential for forests, scrublands and grasslands with a satellite-derived map of the area. The USGS also conducts vegetation and fuel mapping which supports firefighting readiness, reduces wildfire hazards in the wild land-urban environments, and assesses the wildfire effects on an ecosystem.
1. Two biological communities that experience wildfires are chaparral and grasslands.
2. The beneficial role of fire to an ecological community can be seen in the soil. When the wildfire is light to moderate, the organic litter on the surface is not always consumed and therefore protects the roots of the plants and even giving them nutrients so that they re-grow after the fire. Fires also increase the availability of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus for the plants as well as the possibility for the increase of nitrogen. In general fires increase the soil nutrients and therefore are a benefit to the living organisms.
3. An ecological succession is the predictable series of changes in an ecological community over time after a disturbance, such as a fire, hurricane, or a small-scale disturbance. Succession is a major part of the development of an ecological community because it dictates the speed at which that community develops. Fires are an example of secondary succession because they do not kill all the organisms in that area. Majority of the time there are remains of a tree or a small plant that take the nutrients from that fire to re-sprout.
4. In a grassland, first you will have the stage in which the bacteria come back. These are some of the first organisms to come back in an area. Then you will have the small plants such as flowers, small shrubs and small grasses. Next you will have the small and very abundant animals come back, such as the prairie dog. These animals reproduce quickly and are very abundant. Lastly you have the organism that are not so abundant and most likely these are the apex predator. In grassland you can say that the hawk or the coyote is apart of that stage four succession.
5. One fire management technique used by the US Forestry Service is that of being able to target young fires early and be able to warn people in that surrounding area and also be able to provide people with the knowledge to prevent wildfires all together. One technique that the US Forestry Service provides for the suppression of fires is the tools and knowledge to be able to fight them. The training of people to be fire fighters and then providing those individuals with the right equipment to do their jobs.
1. Two biological communities that experience wildfires are chaparral and grasslands.
2. The beneficial role of fire to an ecological community can be seen in the soil. When the wildfire is light to moderate, the organic litter on the surface is not always consumed and therefore protects the roots of the plants and even giving them nutrients so that they re-grow after the fire. Fires also increase the availability of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus for the plants as well as the possibility for the increase of nitrogen. In general fires increase the soil nutrients and therefore are a benefit to the living organisms.
3. An ecological succession is the predictable series of changes in an ecological community over time after a disturbance, such as a fire, hurricane, or a small-scale disturbance. Succession is a major part of the development of an ecological community because it dictates the speed at which that community develops. Fires are an example of secondary succession because they do not kill all the organisms in that area. Majority of the time there are remains of a tree or a small plant that take the nutrients from that fire to re-sprout.
4. In a grassland, first you will have the stage in which the bacteria come back. These are some of the first organisms to come back in an area. Then you will have the small plants such as flowers, small shrubs and small grasses. Next you will have the small and very abundant animals come back, such as the prairie dog. These animals reproduce quickly and are very abundant. Lastly you have the organism that are not so abundant and most likely these are the apex predator. In grassland you can say that the hawk or the coyote is apart of that stage four succession.
5. One fire management technique used by the US Forestry Service is that of being able to target young fires early and be able to warn people in that surrounding area and also be able to provide people with the knowledge to prevent wildfires all together. One technique that the US Forestry Service provides for the suppression of fires is the tools and knowledge to be able to fight them. The training of people to be fire fighters and then providing those individuals with the right equipment to do their jobs.
Two biological communities that experience wildfires are chaparral forests and grasslands
A wildfire can be beneficial to its environment because it clears out underbrush and allows for new growth. They are also beneficial in removing some of the old fuel and helping plants rejuvenate by enriching soil and encouraging new stronger growth. Also, fires also cause some trees and other plant seeds to trigger growth.
Succession is when new growth follows a disturbance. A wildfire is secondary succession because it is a disturbance in an existing environment; it does not completely destroy the environment and cause everything to start brand new again. Since there is still soil present for plants to grow in, a forest fire cannot be considered primary succession. Some trees and plants are not completely destroyed and therefore are able to regrow.
When a forest starts, the first growth is usually fast growing pines and weeds that grow easily in various conditions. These plants facilitate the beginning of a forest, but inhibit the start of other species. Pine’s drop acid into the soil so many other plants are not able to grow in the same area. The plants that are able to grow in a pine forest tolerate acidic soil and other surrounding species.
The US Forestry Service tries to reduce the amount of hazardous fuels and gasses to eliminate the start of unexpected fires. Also, depending upon conditions, they outline a fire management plan for appropriate responses in specific units called the Comprehensive Conservation and Habitat Management Plan. To suppress a fire, the Service will transport water in various ways such as by fire trucks and airplanes to dump on the fire to extinguish it.
Two examples of biological communities where wildfires occur are forests and grasslands.
The wildfires burn a lot of the vegetation so that it decays, re-fertilizing the soil and helps restore and maintain the desirable conditions for wildlife.
Succession is the orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community. Succession can be either primary succession, a volcano destroying everything so a new ecological community forms, or secondary succession, such as a tornado destroying part of an ecological community so that only some vegetation is still there. Fire is secondary succession since it doesn’t destroy everything; there are still some plants and animals remaining so the community is still there.
In the first stage of forest succession, stand re-initiation, the sapling-pole trees quickly inhibit the tolerant trees. In the second stage, stem exclusion, marks the onset of intense inter- and intraspecies competition for limiting resources. The third stage, understory re-initiation, is
a renewed growth of the understory because of the gaps in the canopy caused by tree deaths. In the fourth stage, old-growth, the growth of forests is often 10-70% less than young forests in the stand re-initiation or stem exclusion stages.
The USGS has created the FPI, or Fire Potential Index, which depicts the wildfire potential for forests, scrublands and grasslands with a satellite-derived map of the area. The USGS also conducts vegetation and fuel mapping which supports firefighting readiness, reduces wildfire hazards in the wild land-urban environments, and assesses the wildfire effects on an ecosystem.
Two biological communities that experience wildfires are grasslandas and forests.
Wildfires burn all of the already dead underbrush and stuff and it also replenishes the soil with new nutrients.
Succession is the predictable line of events that happen after a disaster. Wildfires are secondary succession because it doesnt destroy everything in a community it leaves some things behind still standing. On the other hand things like volcanoes are primary succession cause it completely destroys the whole community.
In forests early succession is where grass and the soil grow back then is mid succession is where shrubs and small bushes, next comes late succession where small trees and larger bushes grow back and finally in mature succession is where large animals and trees come back and the environment is back to normal.
The USGS uses devices that can detect the likeliness of another wildfire by taking the methane levels and looking at the dead shrubery. Also they implement plans that are used when a fire does break out so people can get out of harms way quickly and also to seupress the fire as quick as possible.
1. Two biological communities that experience wildfires are chaparral and grasslands.
2. The beneficial role of fire to an ecological community can be seen in the soil. When the wildfire is light to moderate, the organic litter on the surface is not always consumed and therefore protects the roots of the plants and even giving them nutrients so that they re-grow after the fire. Fires also increase the availability of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus for the plants as well as the possibility for the increase of nitrogen. In general fires increase the soil nutrients and therefore are a benefit to the living organisms.
3. An ecological succession is the predictable series of changes in an ecological community over time after a disturbance, such as a fire, hurricane, or a small-scale disturbance. Succession is a major part of the development of an ecological community because it dictates the speed at which that community develops. Fires are an example of secondary succession because they do not kill all the organisms in that area. Majority of the time there are remains of a tree or a small plant that take the nutrients from that fire to re-sprout.
4. In a grassland, first you will have the stage in which the bacteria come back. These are some of the first organisms to come back in an area. Then you will have the small plants such as flowers, small shrubs and small grasses. Next you will have the small and very abundant animals come back, such as the prairie dog. These animals reproduce quickly and are very abundant. Lastly you have the organism that are not so abundant and most likely these are the apex predator. In grassland you can say that the hawk or the coyote is apart of that stage four succession.
5. One fire management technique used by the US Forestry Service is that of being able to target young fires early and be able to warn people in that surrounding area and also be able to provide people with the knowledge to prevent wildfires all together. One technique that the US Forestry Service provides for the suppression of fires is the tools and knowledge to be able to fight them. The training of people to be fire fighters and then providing those individuals with the right equipment to do their jobs.
1) Two biological communities that experience wildfires are the ponderosa pine forests of Yellow Stone National Park and the savannas in Africa.
2) A fire can be healthy to a community by returning voluble minerals to the soil when biomass is burned, by thinning out plants and ingrowths allowing the regret of stronger, healthy species, and also to some species of conifers, like ponderosa pines, the heat of the fire opens up their cones allowing the seeds to fall out and regroup the forest.
3) The definition of succession is changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community. Succession is a word used to describe how "grown up" a community is so I don't see how succession can effect the evolution of a community. Fire is secondary succession because it does not take away the soil, even though it kills most plant life. Plants rapidly regroup after a fire due to rich soil unlike at a lava flow which is an example of primary succession.
4) The four stages of succession for a ponderosa pine forest are; a complete burring of the forest, return of grasses and weeds, appearance of shrubs and pine sapling, and finally the healthy forest full of mature pines. In the first stage, fire weed is normally the first plant back and restarts the chain of succession. In the second stage, bugs and insects return. In the third stage, birds return and start build their nests in the shrubs. Finally, in the last stage large mammal species return.
5) A fire management technique used by the US Forestry Service is the setting of small, controllable fires to keep the level of flammable material on the ground at a minimum. A suppression technique used is the dropping of large amounts of water on the fire by using helicopters or planes.
1. Two biological communities that endure wildfires are the chaparral and pine forests. Certain places are the Southern California chaparral, as shown on the news with this disaster, and the lightning-ignited wildfires in Florida GSWP (Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve).
2. The beneficial role of wildfires to an ecological community is the way it clears all of the bushes and shrubs for new growth or forest regeneration. Since the vegetation starts over, the new plants soak up all of the new rich soil. The soil is enriched by the old plants left over nutrients. This would benefit living conditions for fauna as well as flora.
3. The definition of succession is the re-growth or rebirth of certain things after a catastrophe. Succession plays a great role in the evolution of an ecological community. Succession determines the length of time it takes for an ecological community to go from early succession, with small plants, to a mature community, with everything a community possesses from tall fauna to bigger animals. Fire is an example of secondary succession because even though most everything is killed, there are still some plants remaining and the soil becomes richer. This soil allows more plant life to prosper which in the long run will help out the community. On the other hand, volcanoes completely destroy everything in site as well as make the soil un-fertile.
4. The 4 stages of succession of forest are as follows…
1. Small plant growth such as pines etc.
2. Smaller animals and insects come
3. Larger plants come as well as birds who use the fauna for nests
4. Larger animals come and the community is now mature
***
5) One fire management technique that is used by the US forestry service today is by issuing Smokey the bear posters as well as reducing the amount of fuels that start fires. A suppression act by the US Forestry Service is to train and hire people to act quickly when a crisis like the California wildfires of today.
Two biological communities that have wildfires are forests and grasslands.
A wildfire can help its environment because it eliminates all of the excess underbrush and lets the forest restart with new trees and plants. Also, it allows the forest and grasslands to make new soil and nutrients for the plants and animals to thrive off of. In some situations, the forest actually works off of fires and some plants actually only grow after a large wild fire occurs.
Succession is after a disorder in the community is followed by new growth. When there is a wild fire, the trees and plants still have a chance to restart life. Because a wildfire happens in an already existing environment and does not always demolish the environment completely, it is known as a secondary succession.
In the beginning of a forest, the first plants to go up are pine trees and different types of weeds. These plants grow quickly, so they form the start of the forest, and everything grows around and in them. They also grow easily in different types of soil, so it is easier for them to live first, and put other nutrients in the soil for other plants to exist.
The US Forestry Service does a good job of educating people around them. They encourage people to be safe when having outdoor fires. Also they tell homeowners different ways of being safe when making a house. For example: if there is a new house going up, the USFS makes sure to tell them the precautions for electronic safety and turning off lights when they are not home. Also, making sure that their indoor fireplaces are safe.
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