Wildfires, Climate Change, and Ecosystems

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering the interactions between wildfires, the carbon cycle, ecosystem dynamics, and land stewardship.

Carbon sink

A forest or ecosystem that absorbs more carbon than it releases over a given period.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) from the atmosphere to store carbon and build trunks, branches, roots, and leaves.

Fuel reduction

The clearing of flammable vegetation, including dry grass, dead trees, shrubs, and overgrown branches, to reduce wildfire risks.

Adaptation measures

Actions taken to mitigate wildfire risks and prepare for extreme fire years, such as planting more fire-resistant broadleaf or mixed-wood species.

Greenhouse gases

Atmospheric gases, including carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) released during wildfires, that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

Plant fire adaptations

Physical traits, such as thick bark that protects against heat or stems and roots capable of resprouting after above-ground damage, that allow plants to survive or recover from fires.

Biodiversity

The variety of living things within an ecosystem.

Ecological disturbance

A natural or physical event, such as a wildfire, that shapes ecosystem structure, species composition, and patterns of regeneration over time.

Fire regime

The overarching pattern of wildfire in an ecosystem, characterized by its frequency, severity, timing, and spatial pattern rather than occurrence alone.

Vegetation-fire feedback

The reciprocal interaction where vegetation influences fuel availability and fire behaviour, while fire determines which plants survive, establish, and reproduce afterward.

Less-burned refuges

Patches of landscape that remain unburned or burn at low severity during a fire, providing essential habitat and shelter for fire-sensitive species.

Post-fire soil erosion

The movement and loss of soil into nearby water systems occurring when severe wildfires destroy protective plant cover.

Lightning

The most common natural cause of wildfires in British Columbia.

Cultural burning

Distinct land care practices guided by the specific traditions, knowledge, and environmental understanding of different Indigenous Nations.

Burn severity

The degree of fire intensity and damage across a landscape, which influences soil changes, microbial communities, and the rate of post-fire ecosystem recovery.