BIOL 385 - Fire Ecology

Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)

Fire is a fundamental ecological process that affects organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems worldwide. Fire regimes (i.e. the timing, behavior, and pattern) vary spatially and temporally depending on fuel, weather, climate, and topography. Many organisms exhibit a variety of adaptations that allow them to survive in the presence of fire, even requiring it to be maintained on the landscape. Despite its ecological importance, fire is intricately linked to human property, safety, and values and our perception of natural resources. As such, the role of fire in ecosystems is often controversial, and balancing human and ecological needs can be difficult. This course is organized around the concept of the fire regime and how the physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits of organisms allow them to persist within a fire-maintained landscape. Throughout this course we study fire through three main lenses: Fire as a biophysical process, fire as an ecological process, and fire, people, and management. Michael Graziano.

Prerequisite(s): Two units of 200-level Biology.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS