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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Published on: November 14, 2017

Fire-mediated dieback and compositional cascade in an Amazonian forest.

Jos Barlow¹, Carlos A Peres

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK. jos.barlow@lancaster.ac.uk

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

|February 13, 2008

Summary

Recurrent wildfires drastically alter Amazonian forest structure and species composition. Repeated fires cause significant community turnover, challenging forest resilience and the savannization paradigm.

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Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems

Published on: June 30, 2020

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Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

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Published on: November 14, 2017

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems

Published on: June 30, 2020

Area of Science:

Ecology
Climate Science
Forestry

Background:

Global climate models predict Amazonian forest dieback due to reduced precipitation.
Current vegetation models may underestimate forest degradation by not including fire's role.
Amazonian forest resilience might be overestimated.

Purpose of the Study:

Examine forest structure and composition in the central Brazilian Amazon.
Evaluate post-fire forest recovery and the impact of recurrent fires on tree species dominance.
Assess the consequences of single, double, and triple fire events on forest dynamics.

Main Methods:

Surveyed tree plots in unburned and burned forests (once, twice, thrice) in the Arapiuns River basin.
Monitored forest plots at various time intervals post-fire (1, 3, 5, and 9 years).
Analyzed changes in tree numbers, diameter at breast height (DBH) recruitment, and species composition.

Main Results:

Tree populations in unburned forests remained stable.
Burned forests showed significant tree recruitment into smaller size classes 3-9 years post-fire.
Nine years after initial fire, community turnover was evident, with species dominance shifting across different burn histories.

Conclusions:

Episodic wildfires cause drastic, cascading changes in Amazonian forest structure and composition.
Recurrent fires lead to distinct shifts in species dominance, impacting overall forest dynamics.
Findings challenge the validity of the savannization paradigm in the context of fire regimes.