Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ecological Disturbance02:26

Ecological Disturbance

20.6K
An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem. The impact of an ecological disturbance, which can depend on its intensity, frequency, and spatial distribution, plays a significant role in shaping the species diversity within the ecosystem.
20.6K
Habitat Fragmentation02:31

Habitat Fragmentation

20.9K
Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
20.9K
Threats to Biodiversity01:50

Threats to Biodiversity

26.4K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
26.4K
Hybrid Zones02:29

Hybrid Zones

21.7K
Hybrid zones are narrow regions where two closely related species interact, mate, and produce hybrids. Relative to either parent species, hybrids may possess distinct phenotypic or genetic differences that impact their survival and reproductive success. The genetic variances introduced by hybridization influence species diversity and speciation processes within the hybrid zone.
21.7K
Hazard Rate01:11

Hazard Rate

375
The hazard rate, also known as the hazard function or failure rate, is a statistical measure used to describe the instantaneous rate at which an event occurs, given that the event has not yet happened. From a probabilistic perspective, it represents the likelihood that a subject will experience the event in a very small time interval, conditional on surviving up to the beginning of that interval. In terms of frequency, the hazard rate can be viewed as the ratio of the number of events to the...
375
Keystone Species01:39

Keystone Species

24.1K
Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ecological community’s structure. Many factors affect community structure, including abiotic factors (e.g., sunlight and nutrients), disturbances (e.g., fire or flood), species interactions (e.g., predation or competition), and chance events (e.g., foreign species invasion). Certain species—such as keystone species—also play a...
24.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Carbon isotope trends across a century of herbarium specimens suggest CO<sub>2</sub> fertilization of C<sub>4</sub> grasses.

The New phytologist·2024
Same author

Will trees or grasses profit from changing rainfall regimes in savannas?

The New phytologist·2024
Same author

Fire-modulated fluctuations in nutrient availability stimulate biome-scale floristic turnover in time, and elevated species richness, in low-nutrient fynbos heathland.

Annals of botany·2023
Same author

Limited climatic space for alternative ecosystem states in Africa.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

Archaeological adhesives made from <i>Podocarpus</i> document innovative potential in the African Middle Stone Age.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022
Same author

Biome boundary maintained by intense belowground resource competition in world's thinnest-rooted plant community.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires
09:27

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Published on: November 14, 2017

10.0K

Altered ignition catchments threaten a hyperdiverse fire-dependent ecosystem.

Jasper A Slingsby1,2, Glenn R Moncrieff1,2, Annabelle J Rogers1,3

  • 1Fynbos Node, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), Cape Town, South Africa.

Global Change Biology
|October 7, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Human activities create "fire shadows" that alter fire patterns, leading to ecosystem shifts. Understanding these impacts is crucial for managing biodiversity and preventing ecosystem collapse.

Keywords:
Cape Floristic RegionFynbosalternative stable statesanthropogenic fire shadowsfire poolsfire regimesfire shadowsforesthidden collapsenative invasion

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry
07:27

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Published on: January 5, 2024

3.7K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health
03:42

Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health

Published on: April 5, 2024

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires
09:27

Wind Tunnel Experiments to Study Chaparral Crown Fires

Published on: November 14, 2017

10.0K
Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry
07:27

Author Spotlight: On-Site Biochar Production for Woody Debris Incineration in Forestry

Published on: January 5, 2024

3.7K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health
03:42

Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health

Published on: April 5, 2024

1.4K

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Fire Science
  • Conservation Biology

Background:

  • Human activities significantly influence fire regimes, often with delayed effects.
  • Anticipating these changes is vital for ecosystem and biodiversity management.
  • Anthropogenic land cover change impacts fire dynamics and biodiversity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the impact of anthropogenic land cover change on fire and biodiversity.
  • To develop and apply the "ignition catchment" framework to predict fire changes.
  • To understand how urban expansion affects fire regimes and ecosystem states.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a conceptual framework based on "ignition catchments".
  • Applied fire models to estimate spatial changes in burn probability.
  • Used land cover change layers to predict fire records and forest encroachment.

Main Results:

  • Urban expansion created anthropogenic fire shadows, altering fire return intervals.
  • Observed a state shift from diverse Fynbos to low-diversity forest.
  • Identified a hidden ecosystem collapse in a conservation area.

Conclusions:

  • Anthropogenic fire shadows are a universal phenomenon impacting global fire activity and causing extreme fires.
  • The ignition catchment framework aids in predicting fire regime changes and guiding management.
  • Identifying anthropogenic impacts on ignition catchments is key for managing human-altered landscapes.