[APWG] FIRE 07 Climate change Re: NEWS: Climate change likely to increase fires

[Bob Beyfuss]

Global climate change is one of many factors that may contribute to the 
spread of weeds. Personally I think human disturbance to an area, whether 
it is by grazing animals, other agricultural activities, building roads, 
cutting down trees, intentionally planting weeds, changing soil chemistry 
via air pollution, etc. is even more important. The issues are complex and 
I think the trend to lump together insects, plants, animals, viral and 
fungal pathogens under the general term of '"invasive" and declaring "war 
on invasives" is a serious oversimplification of individual and complex 
issues that are best managed on a case by case basis. Plant scientists are 
not entomologists nor disease toxicologists and vice versa. As much as I 
agree with Craig's estimates of the costs of restoration and I am not sure 
that is possible at any cost, I doubt very much if funds will be provided 
for this effort. I do see funding becoming available for killing weeds but 
I question the validity of such funding if not followed up by correcting 
the conditions that led to the weed infestations in the first place.
Bob Beyfuss

At 11:28 AM 10/15/2007, Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov wrote:

>It's great to see this issue getting more press.  But, I also see where 
>Wayne is coming from.
>
>The article below mentions two conditions that will contribute to the 
>proliferation of invasives in response to global climate change:
>    * fires deposit nutrients into the soil that encourage the growth of 
> cheatgrass
>    * increased atmospheric carbon dioxide, typically associated with 
> climate changes, encourages the growth of tough cheatgrass
>
>I just attended a conference two weeks ago on global climate change and 
>the effect on local flora in the Appalachians of Maryland and West 
>Virginia.  One of the speakers mentioned that recent research was 
>suggesting that invasives would take off with global climate change - that 
>the hotter, drier conditions will favor them.  He pointed out that this is 
>not necessarily true.  Microstegium (Japanese stiltgrass), for instance, 
>which is plaguing the Appalachians is not good at getting into the drier 
>sites.
>
>So, although I am pleased at the increased attention to this issue, I 
>think Wayne's point is well taken.  As plant scientists, it's important 
>for us to resist the urge to put specific situations into a general 
>"Inbox."  Different species will react differently in different 
>environments.  It's our job to explore the possibilities and to help 
>others understand them without making sweeping generalizations.
>
>Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
>Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
>Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
>US Fish & Wildlife Service
>4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
>Arlington, VA  22203
>703-358-1708 x1753
>FAX: 703-358-2276
>Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural 
>resources.
><www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
>
>
>
>Wayne Tyson <landrest at cox.net>
>Sent by: rwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
>
>10/12/2007 11:02 PM
>To
>Olivia Kwong <plant at plantconservation.org>, 
>native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org, 
>apwg at lists.plantconservation.org, rwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>cc
>Subject
>[RWG] FIRE 07 Climate change Re: NEWS: Climate change likely to increase 
>fires
>
>
>
>
>Invasive plants like the Sahara mustard are quite likely to be a factor in 
>wildfires, as they fill spaces between widely-scattered shrubs, and 
>climate change will no doubt affect fire behavior, but I yearn for more 
>evidence and less opinion and conjecture regarding such sweeping 
>conclusions.  It makes for good press, but what is needed is good research 
>and solid data.  Fires have, and will continue to be, a factor in Great 
>Basin ecosystems, but the real question is what precisely is the 
>connection between the data and the conclusions, and what is the marginal 
>difference.  Sensationalism destroys credibility, and "we" need 
>credibility more than ever in these truly pivotal times.
>
>WT
>
>At 12:53 PM 10/12/2007, Olivia Kwong wrote:
><http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071012/ap_on_sc/wildfires_climate_change>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071012/ap_on_sc/wildfires_climate_change 
>
>
>Climate change likely to increase fires
>
>By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY, Associated Press Writer Thu Oct 11, 8:26 PM ET
>
>LAS VEGAS - Climate change is likely to increase the number of wildfires
>fueled by invasive weeds that are spreading throughout the Great Basin,
>researchers told a U.S. Senate subcommittee Thursday.
>
>See the link above for the full article text.
>
>
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>
>
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>
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