Abstract
The impacts of vegetation fires on ecosystems are complex and varied affecting a range of important ecosystem services. Fire has the potential to affect the physicochemical and ecological status of water systems, alter several aspects of the carbon cycle (e.g. above- and below-ground carbon storage) and trigger changes in vegetation type and structure. Globally, fire is an essential part of land management in fire-prone regions in, e.g. Australia, the USA and some Mediterranean countries to mitigate the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires and sustain healthy ecosystems. In the less-fire prone UK, fire has a long history of usage in management for enhancing the productivity of heather, red grouse and sheep. This distinctly different socioeconomic tradition of burning underlies some of the controversy in recent decades in the UK around the use of fire. Negative public opinion and opposition from popular media have highlighted concerns around the detrimental impacts burning can have on the health and diversity of upland habitats. It is evident there are many gaps in the current knowledge around the environmental impacts of prescribed burning in less fire-prone regions (e.g. UK). Land owners and managers require a greater level of certainty on the advantages and disadvantages of prescribed burning in comparison to other techniques to better inform management practices. This paper addresses this gap by providing a critical review of published work and future research directions related to the impacts of prescribed fire on three key aspects of ecosystem services: (i) water quality, (ii) carbon dynamics and (iii) habitat composition and structure (biodiversity). Its overall aims are to provide guidance based on the current state-of-the-art for researchers, land owners, managers and policy makers on the potential effects of the use of burning and to inform the wider debate about the place of fire in modern conservation and land management in humid temperate ecosystems.
Highlights
Fire is an important ecological process for many ecosystems and has played a complex role in shaping landscapes across the globe (Bixby et al, 2015)
Land owners and managers require a greater level of certainty on the advantages and disadvantages of prescribed burning in comparison to other techniques to better inform management practices. This paper addresses this gap by providing a critical review of published work and future research directions related to the impacts of prescribed fire on three key aspects of ecosystem services: (i) water quality, (ii) carbon dynamics and (iii) habitat composition and structure
During the last century, prescribed fire has been used increasingly as a management tool across parts of the Mediterranean, and the seasonally dry regions of Australia and North America to control natural fire regimes and reduce the risk of severe wildfires spread by managing fuel loads (Burrows and McCaw, 2013; Fernandes et al, 2013; Ryan et al, 2013)
Summary
Fire is an important ecological process for many ecosystems and has played a complex role in shaping landscapes across the globe (Bixby et al, 2015). This, in addition to several other driving forces, has produced a substantial increase in research output with 77% of the literature captured for this review being published since 2000, 37% since 2010 It is, timely to review these areas of focus (water quality, carbon dynamics and habitat composition and structure) not least to provide a synthesis for land managers in the UK and in regions with comparable ecosystems. Iii) Habitat composition and structure (biodiversity): Globally rare fauna and flora are found in the UK uplands with a variety of UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) Priority Habitats and 75% of the total area of the world's natural heather moorland (Tucker, 2003).1 These three aspects of ecosystem services have been consistently cited as important features needing to be closely monitored when implementing burn practices. The key findings and suggestions outlined by this review as accessible to land managers and policy makers as possible
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