Over the last two decades wildfire activity, damage, and management cost within the US have increased substantially. These increases have been associated with a number of factors including climate change and fuel accu...Over the last two decades wildfire activity, damage, and management cost within the US have increased substantially. These increases have been associated with a number of factors including climate change and fuel accumulation due to a century of active fire suppression. The increased fire activity has occurred during a time of significant ex-urban development of the Wildland Urban Interface （WUI） along with increased demand on water resources originating on forested landscapes. These increased demands have put substantial pressure on federal agencies charged with wildfire management to continue and expand the century old policy of aggressive wildfire suppression. However, aggressive wildfire suppression is one of the major factors that drive the increased extent, intensity, and damage associated with the small number of large wildfires that are unable to be suppressed. In this paper we discuss the positive feedback loops that lead to demands for increasing suppression response while simultaneously increasing wildfire risk in the future. Despite a wealth of scientific research that demonstrates the limitations of the current management paradigm pressure to maintain the existing system are well entrenched and driven by the existing social systems that have evolved under our current management practice. Interestingly, US federal wildland fire policy provides considerable discretion for managers to pursue a range of management objectives however, societal expectations and existing management incentive structures result in policy implementation that is straining the resilience of fire adapted ecosystems and the communities that reside in and adjacent to them.展开更多
High-latitude ecosystems are exposed to more pronounced warming effects than other parts of the globe.We develop a technique to monitor ecological changes in a way that distinguishes climate influences from disturbanc...High-latitude ecosystems are exposed to more pronounced warming effects than other parts of the globe.We develop a technique to monitor ecological changes in a way that distinguishes climate influences from disturbances.In this study,we account for climatic influences on Alaskan boreal forest performance with a datadriven model.We defined ecosystem performance anomalies(EPA)using the residuals of the model and made annual maps of EPA.Most areas(88%)did not have anomalous ecosystem performance for at least 6 of 8 years between 1996 and 2004.Areas with underperforming EPA(10%)often indicate areas associated with recent fires and areas of possible insect infestation or drying soil related to permafrost degradation.Overperforming areas(2%)occurred in older fire recovery areas where increased deciduous vegetation components are expected.The EPA measure was validated with composite burn index data and Landsat vegetation indices near and within burned areas.展开更多
文摘Over the last two decades wildfire activity, damage, and management cost within the US have increased substantially. These increases have been associated with a number of factors including climate change and fuel accumulation due to a century of active fire suppression. The increased fire activity has occurred during a time of significant ex-urban development of the Wildland Urban Interface （WUI） along with increased demand on water resources originating on forested landscapes. These increased demands have put substantial pressure on federal agencies charged with wildfire management to continue and expand the century old policy of aggressive wildfire suppression. However, aggressive wildfire suppression is one of the major factors that drive the increased extent, intensity, and damage associated with the small number of large wildfires that are unable to be suppressed. In this paper we discuss the positive feedback loops that lead to demands for increasing suppression response while simultaneously increasing wildfire risk in the future. Despite a wealth of scientific research that demonstrates the limitations of the current management paradigm pressure to maintain the existing system are well entrenched and driven by the existing social systems that have evolved under our current management practice. Interestingly, US federal wildland fire policy provides considerable discretion for managers to pursue a range of management objectives however, societal expectations and existing management incentive structures result in policy implementation that is straining the resilience of fire adapted ecosystems and the communities that reside in and adjacent to them.
文摘High-latitude ecosystems are exposed to more pronounced warming effects than other parts of the globe.We develop a technique to monitor ecological changes in a way that distinguishes climate influences from disturbances.In this study,we account for climatic influences on Alaskan boreal forest performance with a datadriven model.We defined ecosystem performance anomalies(EPA)using the residuals of the model and made annual maps of EPA.Most areas(88%)did not have anomalous ecosystem performance for at least 6 of 8 years between 1996 and 2004.Areas with underperforming EPA(10%)often indicate areas associated with recent fires and areas of possible insect infestation or drying soil related to permafrost degradation.Overperforming areas(2%)occurred in older fire recovery areas where increased deciduous vegetation components are expected.The EPA measure was validated with composite burn index data and Landsat vegetation indices near and within burned areas.
