Legal Barriers to Prescribed Burning (ERM-022)
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abstract
The reduction of naturally occurring fires has altered ecosystems worldwide. This alteration of natural fire regimes has had negative impacts in many areas. These include declines in fire-dependent species, the loss of resilience in fire-prone ecosystems, and a dramatic decline in important ecosystem services, such as surface water infiltration, soil nutrient cycling, and the availability of adequate wildlife habitat. In addition, plant communities that are adapted to specific fire regimes frequency, intensity, and seasonality are more susceptible to invasion by fire-sensitive species such as ashe juniper and eastern redcedar.