Fire as a global ‘herbivore’: the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems
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Abstract
It is difficult to find references to fire in general textbooks on ecology, conservation biology or biogeography, in spite of the fact that large parts of the world burn on a regular basis, and that there is a considerable literature on the ecology of fire and its use for managing ecosystems. Fire has been burning ecosystems for hundreds of millions of years, helping to shape global biome distribution and to maintain the structure and function of fire-prone communities. Fire is also a significant evolutionary force, and is one of the first tools that humans used to re-shape their world. Here, we review the recent literature, drawing parallels between fire and herbivores as alternative consumers of vegetation. We point to the common questions, and some surprisingly different answers, that emerge from viewing fire as a globally significant consumer that is analogous to herbivory.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Fire as a global ‘herbivore’: the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems |
| Series title | Trends in Ecology and Evolution |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.tree.2005.04.025 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Year Published | 2005 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Cell Press |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 387 |
| Last page | 394 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |