The Ecology of Fire

by Robert J. Whelan

How wildfires affect animal and plant populations is a complex ecological issue. Robert Whelan examines fire as an ecological agent and discusses how populations of organisms are affected by its passage. Drawing examples from several continents, the author studies the impact of fires on individual organisms, populations, and communities. He looks at the effects on ecological processes such as predator-prey, and plant-herbivore interactions, and summarizes the major aspects of ecology that are of particular importance to fire control--both protection against wildfires and fire as a management tool. This book is unique in its emphasis on general ecological principles rather than regional treatment, and it will be of interest to ecologists, foresters, and other land managers.

360 pages, Hardcover

First published August 10, 1995

Reviews

[Henry DeForest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be wonderfully informative (albeit a little dry at points). If you are interested in learning the complexities of fire's impacts on ecosystems and how to study these processes, it is hard to believe this book can be matched in ability.