 | Fire Ecology of Florida and the Southeastern Coastal Plain An overview of the importance of fire to ecosystems in theSoutheast, with guidance on how to best conduct controlled burns in theregion A biodiversity hotspot,Florida is home to many ecosystems and species that evolved in thepresence of frequent fire. In this book, Reed Noss discusses theessential role of fire in generating biodiversity and offers bestpractices for using fire to keep the region's ecosystems healthy andresilient. Reviewing several lines of evidence, Nossshows that fire has been important to the southeastern Coastal Plain fortens of millions of years. He explains how the region's natural fireregimes are connected to its climate, high rate of lightning strikes,physical chemistry, and vegetation. But urbanization and active firesuppression have reduced the frequency and extent of fires. Nosssuggests the practice of controlled burning can and should be improvedto protect fire-dependent species and natural communities from declineand extinction. Noss argues that fire managers shouldattempt to simulate natural fire regimes when conducting controlledburns. Based on what the species of the Southeast likely experiencedduring their evolutionary histories, he makes recommendations aboutpyrodiversity, how often and in what seasons to burn, the optimalheterogeneity of burns, mechanical treatments such as cutting androller-chopping, and the proper use of fuel breaks. In doing so, Noss isthe first to apply the new discipline of evolutionary fire ecology to aspecific region. This book is a fascinating history of fire ecologyin Florida, an enlightening look at why fire matters to the region, and anecessary resource for conservationists and fire managers in the stateand elsewhere. |
