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Editorial: Fire regimes in desert ecosystems: Drivers, impacts and changes

Eddie J. B. van Etten·Matthew L. Brooks·Aaron C. Greenville·Glenda M. Wardel
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Abstract

Although not commonly associated with fire, many desert ecosystems across the globe do occasionally burn, and there is evidence that fire incidences are increasing, leading to altered fire regimes in this biome. The increased prevalence of megafires (wildfires >10,000 ha in size and typically damaging) in most global biomes is linked to climate change, although those occurring in deserts have received far less attention, from both a research and policy perspective, than that of forested ecosystems ( Linley et al., 2022 ). Understanding the drivers of desert fires, from climate to landscape patterns of hydrology and soil, and how these may be changing in the face of anthropogenic pressures, such as invasive species, livestock grazing, and global climate change, is imperative. This Research Topic has published nine papers addressing these drivers, how they have changed, and their impacts on desert biodiversity.

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Eddie J. B. van Etten, Matthew L. Brooks, Aaron C. Greenville, Glenda M. Wardel. 2022-08-01. Editorial: Fire regimes in desert ecosystems: Drivers, impacts and changes. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.968031

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