Surprises and lessons from the 1988 Yellowstone fires
Monica G Turner1, William H Romme2, and Daniel B Tinker3
The size and severity of the fires in Yellowstone National Park in 1988 surprised ecologists and managers alike. Much has been learned about the causes and consequences of crown fires from studies of the Yellowstone fires, and some results were surprising. Plant cover in burned areas was restored rapidly by native species, making post-fire rehabilitation generally unnecessary and possibly even counterproductive. While 20th-century fire suppression has affected systems like Yellowstone far less than other ecosystems, managing forests, people, and property in wildfire areas is an ongoing challenge. Insights gained and lessons learned from the Yellowstone fires may be applied elsewhere and can help inform fire policy.
The size and severity of the fires in Yellowstone National Park in 1988 surprised ecologists and managers alike. Much has been learned about the causes and consequences of crown fires from studies of the Yellowstone fires, and some results were surprising. Plant cover in burned areas was restored rapidly by native species, making post-fire rehabilitation generally unnecessary and possibly even counterproductive. While 20th-century fire suppression has affected systems like Yellowstone far less than other ecosystems, managing forests, people, and property in wildfire areas is an ongoing challenge. Insights gained and lessons learned from the Yellowstone fires may be applied elsewhere and can help inform fire policy.
Landscape Ecology of Large, Infrequent Fires in Yellowstone Park
Authored and edited by Charlene D'Avanzo, School of Natural Sciences, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, 01002 cdavanzo@hampshire.edu
ARTICLE:
Turner, M.G., W.H. Romme, and D.B. Tinker. 2003. Surprises and lessons from the 1988 Yellowstone fires. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 1 (7): 351-358.
ECOLOGICAL CONTENT:
landscape ecology, Yellowstone National Park, fire ecology, patch, disturbance, succession, regeneration, lodgepole pine
TEACHING FOCUS:
Landscape ecology is a relatively new aspect of ecology, and the first author of this paper, Monica Turner, is one of its strong proponents. This would be a good paper for discussion about what landscape ecology is and why it is interesting. The 1988 Yellowstone Fire made headline news and so the topic would draw in students. By working with the figures in this paper students will come to understand how fires produce a mosaic of plant communities and how different plants respond to fire. The Scientific
ARTICLE:
Turner, M.G., W.H. Romme, and D.B. Tinker. 2003. Surprises and lessons from the 1988 Yellowstone fires. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 1 (7): 351-358.
ECOLOGICAL CONTENT:
landscape ecology, Yellowstone National Park, fire ecology, patch, disturbance, succession, regeneration, lodgepole pine
TEACHING FOCUS:
Landscape ecology is a relatively new aspect of ecology, and the first author of this paper, Monica Turner, is one of its strong proponents. This would be a good paper for discussion about what landscape ecology is and why it is interesting. The 1988 Yellowstone Fire made headline news and so the topic would draw in students. By working with the figures in this paper students will come to understand how fires produce a mosaic of plant communities and how different plants respond to fire. The Scientific
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