I can: 2.4Name: ____________________________________ Date: _____________ Period: ____

“Forest Fire” Homework! Due Friday, Sept 28

Read and annotate the article on Wildfire Ecology and succession, and then answer the questions.

Fire Seen as Vital for Nature, Igniting Ecological Debate By WILLIAM K. STEVENS Published: October 25, 1994 New York Times

In the first stage of ecological succession, fire cleans the ground of dead vegetation

and reduces the shade provided by trees and shrubs. This opens up new places for

seeds to germinate, promoting regeneration of the ecosystem. In the next stage,

grasses and wildflowers dominate the site. The deep roots of these fire-adapted plants

allow their green parts to spring back above ground almost immediately after a fire.

They also attract an assemblage of insect species that depend on them: the wild indigo borer, for instance, which

lays its eggs on the wild indigo plant. In the third stage, the site becomes dominated by shrubs. Many small

mammals like meadow voles set up housekeeping, and predators like the northern harrier nest in the dense

shrubbery.

If fire is suppressed, as happened in this century, the site becomes dominated first by scrub oak and pitch pine and

finally by oak woodland. The number and variety of species plunges sharply, with the least common species the

first to go. The woodland is taken over by a few common species like bluejays, crows and white-tailed deer.

And when new houses surround the site, as they have in many parts of the country over the last 20 years, the

buildup of fuel poses a positive danger. "Prevailing winds could drive fire onto anyone's property there," said

Tom Chase, who manages the sand-plains recovery effort for the Nature Conservancy.

Countless plant and animal species owe their survival directly to fire. The sequoia requires the heat from fire to

open their cones and release the seeds, for instance, and the endangered Kirtland's warbler builds its nest only on

the lower, fire-killed branches of jack pines. Fire also promotes biodiversity by preventing aggressive native

weeds and exotic species from running rampant and crowding out native plants.

The absence of fire also contributes to the danger of larger wildfires. In many forest ecosystems, for instance, the

suppression of fires has increased tree density, producing a richer habitat for tree-killing insects whose.

The hottest topic in the new fire debate is what to do in the growing number of areas, like Southern California and

the Rockies, where humans are increasingly building homes in fire-adapted ecosystems. In addition to California

chaparral, the ponderosa pine forests of the mountain West are a primary example. Their low elevation and good

climate make them especially attractive, but “Smokey the Bear” types of campaigns have turned them from

relatively open lands with scattered trees into dense, highly flammable forests.

1. Is this an example of primary or secondary succession? How do you know?

2. What are some of the pro’s (positive aspects) of allowing wildfires to burn through ecosystems?

3. From the article, what are some of the con’s of allowing wildfires to burn through ecosystems?

4. This article was written in 1994, and this summer (as of July 17th) more than 2,000 fires scorched more than 887,000 acres of California forest. What is your personal stance on the issue of allowing wildfires to burn vs. suppressing fire? Answer in complete sentences.

5.

Type of Succession Starts With: Examples in NaturePrimary succession

Secondary succession

6. What type of succession occurs if there is a forest fire or flood? _____________________________

7. What is a pioneer species?

8. What is a climax community?

9. What is the first plant to re-colonize an area? __________________________10. A new volcanic island is formed from an undersea eruption. Will primary or secondary succession occur

there? Explain your answer.a. Primary or Secondary: ____________________________

b. Explain:

For questions 11-14, please use the following text:A forest is suddenly struck by a lightening bolt that causes a fire, burning down many of the older trees! The fire burns low for a few hours, and then goes out in the rain. In the heat of the fire some old fir trees release their seeds, and small trees begin to grow in the clearing. Since the soil was not harmed, grass seeds in the soil also start to germinate, and soon the site of the burn is covered in a meadow of grasses and small fir trees.

For questions 11 - 13, choose a word from the bank below that we use in ecology to describe…carnivores pioneer species primary succession secondary succession climax community decomposer non-native species

11. The small trees grasses that begin to grow in the clearing _____________12. The forest community before the fire _________________ 13. Which kind of succession is this, primary or secondary? __________________14. How can you tell which kind of succession this is?

15. How is primary succession different from secondary succession?a. Primary succession ends with grasslands, and secondary succession ends with a forest.b. Primary succession ends with a forest, and secondary succession ends with grasslands.c. Primary succession starts with bare rock, and secondary succession starts with soil.d. Primary succession starts with soil, and secondary succession starts with bare rock.

16. What is the first step of primary succession?a. Soil forms on a rockb. Pioneer species enter an areac. Trees and bushes begin to

growd. Grasses begin to grow

17. Which of these is in the correct order for succession?

a. Z, W, X, Yb. Y, X, W, Zc. X, Y, W, Zd. W, Z, Y, X