Wildfire – envirobites

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Fire and Animal Behavior: How Forest Fires are Mediating Predator-Prey Interactions

August 1, 2022August 31, 2022 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments animal behavior, bushfire, forest ecology, forestry, predation, predator-prey interactions, prescribed fire, Wildfire

Fires, both from intentional and unintentional sources, have been altering our ecosystems for as long as history has been recorded, yet little is known about how these occurrences affect animal behavior, especially concerning predator-prey interactions. Countless factors, including the extent of the fire and the adaptability of both predator and prey to these new conditions affect the behavior and survivability of both predator and prey. In the end, change is inevitable, but if we improve our understanding of how fires influence animal behavior, we can then help rehabilitate affected populations in more effective and efficient ways.

Animal behavior Ecosystems Environmental Science

Smoke on the Water: How Wildfires Affect Life Underwater

March 7, 2022January 30, 2023 Julia Bebout 0 Comments aquatic, ecosystems, fire, fish, lakes, smoke, Wildfire

It’s easy to imagine how a forest might look immediately after a wildfire. It’s harder to imagine how a wildfire could affect life underwater.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

If a Forest Burns in a Fire, Does it Return to Normal?

September 4, 2020September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments Climate, fire, forest succession, forests, Wildfire

“When a forest burns in a wildfire, should we expect it to return as it was before?” Research scientist, Jonathan

Climate Environmental Science

The burning question: How do wildfires impact watersheds?

July 6, 2020July 5, 2020 Jeannie Wilkening 0 Comments hydrology, modeling, water, water management, watershed, Wildfire

Wildfires can be devastating events, but the impacts can last long after the flames are gone. The major changes to the landscape can have serious implications for how water moves and, as a result, how much of that water we can use. In this study, scientists investigate what a fiery future under climate change could mean for watersheds.

Environmental Science

A Matter of Mulch: Restoring Post-Fire Pine Forests in the Western United States

June 1, 2020May 30, 2020 Jenna Zukswert 0 Comments erosion, forest managment, mulch, pine, Restoration, Soil, Wildfire

Following severe fires, forest soils can erode, depositing sediment into nearby waterways after it rains and threatening local water quality as a result. Mulch is often used to reduce soil erosion in forests following wildfire. Following the High Park Fire in Colorado, scientists tested several types of mulch to determine which was most effective. Thanks to this study, we now know that wood mulch is better than wheat-straw mulch at promoting the return of pine trees and excluding non-native species from taking over, while also stabilizing the soil, probably because wood mulch persists longer and holds more moisture.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

Double trouble: how floods after bushfire affect the health of our rivers

March 19, 2020 Jackie Webb 0 Comments bushfire, climate extreme, flooding, rivers, Wildfire

Between Christmas 2019 and the 2020 New Year, forested mountain ranges across drought-stricken areas in Eastern Australia came alight, with fires ravaging 11 million hectares of bush (Eucalyptus woodlands and rainforests) – a size comparable to England’s land area. These megafires threw the states of New South Wales and Victoria into a state of emergency. The bushfire crisis took a sudden turn when heavy rainfall flooded the scorched land in the span of just two weeks. Unfortunately, while rainfall might appear to be a blessing in light of the megafires, the resulting floods were ultimately not sweet relief for rivers.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

What Smokey the Bear didn’t know about invasive species

March 13, 2020September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments invasive species, United States, Wildfire

Fires are increasing across the United States and researchers are looking to weed out the one of the culprits — invasive grasses. Using information from fires and non-native grass invasion across the country, researchers from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst set out to determine if invasive grasses increase the number of fires across the United States. Of the twelve grass species analyzed, 66% increased fire frequency, adding another layer to the complexity of managing wildfires. As individuals we can help halt this “grass-fire cycle” by reducing the spread of invasive grasses and human-caused sparks.