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Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 Ökologie tropischer Wälder Fire ecology Feuerökologie der Tropen und Subtropen (Teil I) Ecosystems and Fire Arbeitsgruppe Feuerökologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), United Nations University (UNU) c/o Universität Freiburg Fire ecology What is fire? An Introduction What is fire? Fire ecology Atmospheric CO2 Photosynthesis Respiration Biomass „From an atmospheric CO2 perspective, fire is fast respiration” Fire ecology Wülfrath quarry: Cretaceous caves. Source: C. HartkopfFröder Fire ecology Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 Fire ecology Fire ecology Fire ecology What is fire? Fire ecology • Fire is a rapid, self-sustaining oxidation in which fuel ejects combusting or burning gas • Fires start when a flammable and / or a combustible material with an adequate supply of oxygen is subjected to enough heat What is fire? Fire ecology • Fire has been burning for hundreds of millions of years What is fire? Fire ecology • Fire is a primary determinant of biome distribution of large parts of the world • Fire helped to shape global biome distribution • Fire maintains structure and function of fire-prone communities • Fire is a significant evolutionary force • Fire is one of the first tools for early humans to re-shape their environment • Many plant and animal species are endemic to flammable ecosystems – both in ancient (not anthropogenic) ecosystems, but to a certain extent also in cultural ecosystems • Species attributes have evolved in response to different fire regimes Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 What is a “Fire Regime” ? Fire ecology What is a modified fire regime? Fire ecology ¾ A composite of fire conditions that characterize an ecosystem • A fire regime can be modified by fire suppression and prevention Type of fire: ground, surface, crown fire Frequency: the mean return interval of fire in a certain place Fire behaviour: intensity and rate of spread. Fire severity: impact of fire on vegetation, fauna, and soils • By excessive and inappropriate burning • By fragmentation of the natural environment that influences the processes of fire and the integrity of the ecosystem Season: time of year or climatic conditions Size of fire, and regularity or irregularity of recurrence ‘Pyrogeography ’ – a general theory of biological fire? Fire ecology ‘Pyrogeography ’ – a general theory of biological fire? Fire ecology • How much of the world is shaped by fire? – Which biomes would not exist without fire? – Do they contain species that do not exist anywhere else? – Are any of these species ‘adapted’ to fire? • How much of the world is NOT shaped by fire – Why is fire unimportant in such ecosystems? Vegetation fire regions A global fire calendar – the year 2009 Vegetation fire regions: determined by fire regimes Fire ecology Fire ecology Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 Fire ecology social/ ecological benefit or damage? natural, intentional, or controlled? Fire ecology • Fire-dependent ecosystems • Fire-sensitive ecosystems • Fire-independent ecosystems Fire ecology Fire ecology Ecosystems sensitive to fire Fire-dependent ecosystems • Ecosystems in which flora and fauna do not have adaptations against fires. Nevertheless, fire could create important habitats and niches. • Ecosystems where fire is necessary to maintain species composition, biodiversity and structure. When fire is excluded or the fire regime is modified in frequency, the ecosystems changes to somewhat different • When fire affects more than a certain threshold of the entire ecosystem, or happens very frequently, it causes severe damages, or could even lead to a complete loss of the ecosystem • Excessive fire use can have economic, social, and ecological impacts Fire ecology Fire ecology Ecosystems independent to fire • Ecosystems where fire plays a minor or no role at all • Too cold, too dry, or too humid to burn Examples for fire-sensitive ecosystems in the tropics Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 Fire-sensitive ecosystems Fire ecology Fire-sensitive ecosystems Fire ecology semihumid to perhumid tropical rain forests Cloud forests in the Caribbean Fire ecology Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Examples for firedependent ecosystems in the tropics Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Palmares (Mauritia flexosa) and savannas in Venezuela and Colombia Bulbostylus paradoxa (Cyperaceae) in neotropical savannas Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 Fire-dependent ecosystems Bulbinella latifolia Protea cynaroides Fire ecology Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Aloe dichotoma Pinus caribaea (Central America) Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Terminalia crenulata Syzigium cuminii Muthaga (Butea monosperma) Pinus caribaea and Pinus tropicalis, Pinar del Río, Cuba Fire-dependent ecosystems Fire ecology Soliga Tribe, Biligiri Rangaswamy, Karnataka, India Eravikulam, Western Ghats, India Fire ecology Vegetación de páramo y puna en las zonas altas de los Andes humid tropical evergreen forest = fire sensitive native grassland = fire dependent Dynamic relation between two types of ecosystems and the role of fire… Fire ecology of tropical, subtropical and temperate-boreal forest ecosystems Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) / Fire Ecology Research Group BSc Course „Ökologie der Wälder der Erde II“ 29-30 November 2012 SavFIRE 2006-10 Fire ecology What is a controlled fire? Fire ecology Patch mosaic burning in the KNP.... A “controlled fire” is realized according to a non-written plan estimating fire behaviour to reach desired objectives, usually based on traditional knowledge and experience Pyrodiversity equals biodiversity? What is a prescribed fire? Prescribed Burning is realized according to a technical plan (written) under prescription, considering fuel load, weather and topography, to estimate a certain fire behaviour that marks objectives compatible with ecological conditions. Fire ecology Gleich geht es weiter Es folgt Teil II Fire ecology
