Classifying and comparing spatial models of fire dynamics

Abstract

Wildland fire is a significant disturbance in many ecosystems worldwide and the interaction of fire with climate and vegetation over long time spans has major effects on vegetation dynamics, ecosystem carbon budgets, and patterns of biodiversity. Landscape-Fire-Succession Models (LFSMs) that simulate the linked processes of fire and vegetation development in a spatial domain are one of the few tools that can be used to explore the interaction of fire, weather and vegetation over century-long time scales. There is a diverse set of approaches to predicting fire regimes and vegetation dynamics over long time scales, due in large part to the variety of landscapes, fuels and climatic patterns that foster frequent forest fires, and variation in modeller's approaches to representing them.

Citation

Cary, Geoffrey J.; Keane, Robert E.; Flannigan, Mike D. 2007. Classifying and comparing spatial models of fire dynamics. iLEAPS Newsletter. 4: 26-27.