Fire in the Earth System

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1163886
• Publication Date: 2009-04-23T22:36:57Z
• Authors: David M. J. S. Bo...; Jennifer K. Balch; Paulo Artaxo; William J. Bond; Jean M. Carlson; Mark A. Cochrane; Carla M. D’Antonio; Ruth S. DeFries; John C. Doyle; Sandy P. Harrison; Fay H. Johnston; Jon E. Keeley; Meg A. Krawchuk; Christian A. Kull; J. Brad Marston; Max A. Moritz; I. Colin Prentice; Christopher I. Roos; Andrew C. Scott; Thomas W. Swetnam; Guido R. van der ...; Stephen J. Pyne
• Keywords: 550; Earth, Planet; Climate; 500; Plants; 15. Life on land; Biological Evolution; 01 natural sciences; Carbon; Fires; 13. Climate action; SDG 13 - Climate Action; Animals; Humans; Ecosystem; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Burn, Baby, Burn

Wildfires can have dramatic and devastating effects on landscapes and human structures and are important agents in environmental transformation. Their impacts on nonanthropocentric aspects of the environment, such as ecosystems, biodiversity, carbon reserves, and climate, are often overlooked.

Bowman et al.

(p. 481 ) review what is known and what is needed to develop a holistic understanding of the role of fire in the Earth system, particularly in view of the pervasive impact of fires and the likelihood that they will become increasingly difficult to control as climate changes.