Fire in the Earth system
Science
By: David M. J. S. Bowman, Jennifer Balch, Paulo Artaxo, William J. Bond, Jean M. Carlson, Mark A. Cochrane, Carla M. D'Antonio, Ruth S. DeFries, John C. Doyle, Sandy P. Harrison, Fay H. Johnston, Jon E. Keeley, Meg A. Krawchuk, Christian A. Kull, J. Brad Marston, Max A. Moritz, I. Colin Prentice, Christopher I. Roos, Andrew C. Scott, Thomas W. Swetnam, Guido R. van der Werf, and Stephen Pyne
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Abstract
Fire is a worldwide phenomenon that appears in the geological record soon after the appearance of terrestrial plants. Fire influences global ecosystem patterns and processes, including vegetation distribution and structure, the carbon cycle, and climate. Although humans and fire have always coexisted, our capacity to manage fire remains imperfect and may become more difficult in the future as climate change alters fire regimes. This risk is difficult to assess, however, because fires are still poorly represented in global models. Here, we discuss some of the most important issues involved in developing a better understanding of the role of fire in the Earth system.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Fire in the Earth system |
| Series title | Science |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.1163886 |
| Volume | 324 |
| Issue | 5926 |
| Year Published | 2009 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Science |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | 4 p. |
| First page | 481 |
| Last page | 484 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |