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Fire
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Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience
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Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience

A special issue of Fire (ISSN 2571-6255). This special issue belongs to the section "Fire Research at the Science–Policy–Practitioner Interface".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 October 2023) | Viewed by 26754

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jon Marsden-Smedley

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Discipline of Geography and Spatial Sciences, School of Technology, Environments and Design, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
Interests: fire ecology; fire management; fire regime; fire behaviour prediction; Tasmania fire; ecological management; operational on-the-ground fire management
Dr. Jenny Styger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Geography, Planning and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
Interests: fire planning; fire management; ecology; prescribed burning; nature conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

What do we think of when we use the terms “fire regime” and "ecosystem resilience"? Additionally, how do the different aspects of the ecosystem respond?

Are we thinking of time since fire, size, season, patchiness, average interval, tolerable fire intervals, intensity, social expectations, cultural factors, or some other parameter? The risk of adverse impacts from changed or inappropriate fire regimes is very real and is a very poorly utilized factor in landscape management. Additionally, in a rapidly changing climate, are our previous expectations or thresholds even still relevant? Additionally, what are the management impediments to implementing appropriate fire regimes?

In this Special Issue, we encourage the submission of empirical and/or modeling papers that enhance our understanding of the complex interactions between fire regimes and ecosystem processes. We are also interested in papers that examine policy challenges and/or solutions to achieving the implementation of appropriate fire regimes. This Special Issue could include (but is not limited to) papers on the effect of fire on the management of ecosystems, impacts (positive or negative) of varying fire regimes, tolerable fire intervals for different species or communities, the effects of variation in fire dynamics, the application of indigenous burning practices in supporting appropriate fire regimes, and the management and policy challenges/solutions that are encountered.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jon Marsden-Smedley
Dr. Jenny Styger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fire is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fire regime
  • time since fire
  • size
  • season
  • patchiness
  • average interval
  • tolerable fire interval
  • cultural fire management

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

26 pages, 13786 KiB  
Article
Unraveling the Effect of Fire Seasonality on Fire-Preferred Fuel Types and Dynamics in Alto Minho, Portugal (2000–2018)
by Emanuel Oliveira, Paulo M. Fernandes, David Barros and Nuno Guiomar
Fire 2023, 6(7), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6070267 - 6 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2084
Abstract
Socio-demographic changes in recent decades and fire policies centered on fire suppression have substantially diminished the ability to maintain low fuel loads at the landscape scale in marginal lands. Currently, shepherds face many barriers to the use of fire for restoring pastures in [...] Read more.
Socio-demographic changes in recent decades and fire policies centered on fire suppression have substantially diminished the ability to maintain low fuel loads at the landscape scale in marginal lands. Currently, shepherds face many barriers to the use of fire for restoring pastures in shrub-encroached communities. The restrictions imposed are based on the lack of knowledge of their impacts on the landscape. We aim to contribute to this clarification. Therefore, we used a dataset of burned areas in the Alto Minho region for seasonal and unseasonal (pastoral) fires. We conducted statistical and spatial analyses to characterize the fire regime (2001–2018), the distribution of fuel types and their dynamics, and the effects of fire on such changes. Unseasonal fires are smaller and spread in different spatial contexts. Fuel types characteristic of maritime pine and eucalypts are selected by seasonal fires and avoided by unseasonal fires which, in turn, showed high preference for heterogeneous mosaics of herbaceous and shrub vegetation. The area covered by fuel types of broadleaved and eucalypt forest stands increased between 2000 and 2018 at the expense of the fuel type corresponding to maritime pine stands. Results emphasize the role of seasonal fires and fire recurrence in these changes, and the weak effect of unseasonal fires. An increase in the maritime pine fuel type was observed only in areas burned by unseasonal fires, after excluding the areas overlapping with seasonal fires. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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13 pages, 3134 KiB  
Article
A Comparison of Analytical Methods for the Determination of Soil pH: Case Study on Burned Soils in Northern Portugal
by Maria Faria, Tamires Bertocco, Ana Barroso, Manuela Carvalho, Felicia Fonseca, Cristina Delerue Matos, Tomás Figueiredo, Amália Sequeira Braga, Teresa Valente and Raimundo Jiménez-Ballesta
Fire 2023, 6(6), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6060227 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4817
Abstract
Wildfires can cause serious imbalances in ecosystems, primarily at the soil level, making it vulnerable to degradation processes such as erosion. During and after a fire, changes occur in soil properties, including pH, which affects the solubility and availability of nutrients. Currently, there [...] Read more.
Wildfires can cause serious imbalances in ecosystems, primarily at the soil level, making it vulnerable to degradation processes such as erosion. During and after a fire, changes occur in soil properties, including pH, which affects the solubility and availability of nutrients. Currently, there is a great diversity of protocols, some involving normalized standards, to determine soil pH, but there is no consensual or universal analytical method for this parameter, especially in burned soils, in which mineral and organic fractions could have been modified. Therefore, the objective of the present work is to evaluate the effect that variations in these analytical protocols may have on pH results. For this, five methods commonly found in the international bibliography for the analysis of pH of soil in water (pHH2O) were selected and compared to propose the most precise procedure. The analytical methods were applied to 43 soil samples, collected in a plot subjected to prescribed burning in the Parque Natural de Montesinho (Northern Portugal). The studied methods differ in the following protocol items: water suspension ratio (1:2.5 or 1:5), mechanical stirring time in the suspension (10 min or 1 h), and in the resting time for the solid particles to settle (15 min or 8 h). The obtained results point to the suitability of the five methods used for soil pH analysis, indicating that there are no statistically significant differences. However, results also allow suggesting a more appropriate method concerning practical reasons, such as labor in a lab. Thus, to make the analysis process more profitable, M2 is a good option because it uses a small amount of sample (5 g), short agitation (10 min) and settling time (15 min). In turn, M1 and M5, which use a lower proportion of soil (1:2.5) show lower pH variation in the measurements. This fact may be explained by a smaller dilution effect. Considering that these two methods differ in the settling time, it is suggested to apply M1, because only 15 min are required. Therefore, the main conclusion reached with this work is that the measurement of soil pH using M1, i.e., a soil:water ratio of 1:2.5, with agitation of 10 min and settling time of 15 min, is a robust and more expeditious protocol to be applied to soil samples after a fire. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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23 pages, 4750 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Response of Soil Bacterial Communities after Prescribed Fires in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Forests
by Rocío Soria, Antonio Tortosa, Natalia Rodríguez-Berbel, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, Raúl Ortega and Isabel Miralles
Fire 2023, 6(4), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6040145 - 3 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2190
Abstract
Low-intensity burnings could be an effective silvicultural tool to prevent the occurrence and severity of wildfires. Nevertheless, their use as a forest fuel reduction tool may have a negative impact on soil properties. The aim of this investigation was to study the impact [...] Read more.
Low-intensity burnings could be an effective silvicultural tool to prevent the occurrence and severity of wildfires. Nevertheless, their use as a forest fuel reduction tool may have a negative impact on soil properties. The aim of this investigation was to study the impact of a low-intensity prescribed fire on the main chemical properties of the soil (pH, electrical conductivity, and total organic carbon), and the diversity and composition of the soil bacterial communities in a semi-arid forest in SE Spain. Two similar stands were treated with a low-intensity prescribed burn in spring and autumn 2018 and were compared to an unburned stand. All soil samples were collected at the same time (autumn 2018). The chemical properties of the soil showed no significant differences between the prescribed burns and the control forest. Shannon and Pielou’s diversity indices presented values significantly lower in the burned soils compared to the control. Prescribed burning did not modify soil bacterial community structure at the phylum level, but NMDS analysis did reveal a difference between soil bacterial communities at the genus level. Both prescribed burnings favoured some bacterial taxa over others, suggesting different thermal and bacterial resistance. The presence of Massilia, Pseudomonas and Arthrobacter could suggest a short-term ecosystem recovery. Therefore, prescribed burning in semi-arid forests could be suitable as a preventive tool against wildfires. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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10 pages, 1263 KiB  
Article
A Theoretical Framework to Investigate Interdependency in the Assessment of Fire Resilience
by Davide Forcellini
Fire 2023, 6(3), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6030127 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1657
Abstract
Communities and ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable to fire hazard. In addition, modern societies are connected with interdependent infrastructures, and the assessment of their resilience to fire may be extremely challenging. In this regard, fire resilience may be described as the ability to [...] Read more.
Communities and ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable to fire hazard. In addition, modern societies are connected with interdependent infrastructures, and the assessment of their resilience to fire may be extremely challenging. In this regard, fire resilience may be described as the ability to maintain the functionality of infrastructures to deliver services during and after hazard events. This paper considers several typologies of interdependency in order to propose several models that may quantify fire resilience. These models are based on the previous literature and the applications recently proposed for earthquakes. Fire resilience is herein calculated by considering a multi-dimensional formulation of the repair function that depends on time and the different components of the systems. The formulations that are described may be applied for preliminary studies aimed at pre- and post-fire assessments. Many stakeholders may take advantages of such formulations to consider the interconnections between the different infrastructures, their components, and subcomponents subjected to fire hazard. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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15 pages, 5253 KiB  
Article
Impact of Fire History on the Structure of a Temperate Forest in Northern Mexico
by José M. Zúñiga-Vásquez, José Villanueva-Díaz, Julián Cerano-Paredes and Gerónimo Quiñonez-Barraza
Fire 2023, 6(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6010019 - 7 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1758
Abstract
Understanding the ecological role of fire in forests is essential for proper management and conservation programs. The objectives of this study were: (1) to reconstruct the history of fires in a temperate forest in Sierra Madre Occidental; and (2) to interpret the impacts [...] Read more.
Understanding the ecological role of fire in forests is essential for proper management and conservation programs. The objectives of this study were: (1) to reconstruct the history of fires in a temperate forest in Sierra Madre Occidental; and (2) to interpret the impacts of fire and climate on forest structure. Sixty tree cross-sections with fire scars were analyzed, and descriptive statistics of fire history were generated. Additionally, growth cores were analyzed, and the ages of trees of different diameter categories were calculated. The synchrony between fire history and tree establishment was determined, and precipitation and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) values were correlated with the number of trees established per year. The presence of 137 fire scars was determined, which allowed the reconstruction of 41 fire events over the period 1855–2019; however, only the period 1940–2015 was used to compare tree recruitment, as tree establishment was detected in this period. The mean fire interval (MFI) was 2.28 years in general, and 12.17 years for extensive fires. As regards vegetation, a continuous recruitment pattern was observed, typical of a frequent low-intensity fire regime, although peak regeneration occurred after extensive fires. The correlation analysis showed that the number of trees established per year was influenced by the wet conditions that occurred in December of the previous year and the dry conditions in September and October of the previous year. This finding demonstrates the historical influence of fire and climate on the structure of the current stand in the study area. Therefore, the present study highlights the importance of including fire in forest management programs, considering the natural fire regime to which the species in this ecosystem are already adapted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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22 pages, 5746 KiB  
Article
Successional Pathways of Avifauna in a Shifting Mosaic Landscape: Interplay between Land Abandonment and Wildfires
by Roger Prodon
Fire 2022, 5(6), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire5060183 - 3 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1679
Abstract
In Mediterranean hinterlands, land abandonment has led to the encroachment of woody vegetation prone to fire. The resulting alternation between vegetation closure and sudden opening modifies the composition of avifauna. We first conducted a stratified sampling of the avifauna in a grassland-to-forest gradient [...] Read more.
In Mediterranean hinterlands, land abandonment has led to the encroachment of woody vegetation prone to fire. The resulting alternation between vegetation closure and sudden opening modifies the composition of avifauna. We first conducted a stratified sampling of the avifauna in a grassland-to-forest gradient representing the closure of vegetation after abandonment (space-for-time substitution). We then conducted postfire diachronic sampling (up to 42 years) on stations belonging to this gradient. Mid-successional shrubland avifauna was the most radically modified after fire—ground-nesting species replacing shrub-nesting species—without significant change in species numbers. In the medium term, shrub-nesting birds widened their distribution in the landscape. While avifauna postfire successions in shrubland paralleled the spontaneous colonization of grasslands by woody vegetation, postfire forest successions were distinguished by the persistence of certain forest birds, resulting in assemblages of high diversity in which open-habitat birds coexisted with forest species. This temporary vegetation–avifauna mismatch results from both the reluctance of open-habitat birds to enter burned areas because of numerous snags, and the site fidelity of breeding birds. This inertia mitigates the short-term impact of fire. In the long term, spontaneous or postfire successions converge towards a homogeneous forest avifauna, to the detriment of open-habitat species of high conservation value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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Review

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48 pages, 10726 KiB  
Review
Countering Omitted Evidence of Variable Historical Forests and Fire Regime in Western USA Dry Forests: The Low-Severity-Fire Model Rejected
by William L. Baker, Chad T. Hanson, Mark A. Williams and Dominick A. DellaSala
Fire 2023, 6(4), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6040146 - 3 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 11566
Abstract
The structure and fire regime of pre-industrial (historical) dry forests over ~26 million ha of the western USA is of growing importance because wildfires are increasing and spilling over into communities. Management is guided by current conditions relative to the historical range of [...] Read more.
The structure and fire regime of pre-industrial (historical) dry forests over ~26 million ha of the western USA is of growing importance because wildfires are increasing and spilling over into communities. Management is guided by current conditions relative to the historical range of variability (HRV). Two models of HRV, with different implications, have been debated since the 1990s in a complex series of papers, replies, and rebuttals. The “low-severity” model is that dry forests were relatively uniform, low in tree density, and dominated by low- to moderate-severity fires; the “mixed-severity” model is that dry forests were heterogeneous, with both low and high tree densities and a mixture of fire severities. Here, we simply rebut evidence in the low-severity model’s latest review, including its 37 critiques of the mixed-severity model. A central finding of high-severity fire recently exceeding its historical rates was not supported by evidence in the review itself. A large body of published evidence supporting the mixed-severity model was omitted. These included numerous direct observations by early scientists, early forest atlases, early newspaper accounts, early oblique and aerial photographs, seven paleo-charcoal reconstructions, ≥18 tree-ring reconstructions, 15 land survey reconstructions, and analysis of forest inventory data. Our rebuttal shows that evidence omitted in the review left a falsification of the scientific record, with significant land management implications. The low-severity model is rejected and mixed-severity model is supported by the corrected body of scientific evidence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Resilience)
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