Cited by 276Fire effects on ecosystemsEcosystem dynamics and resilienceTheoretical and Computational Physics

Wildfires, complexity, and highly optimized tolerance

Open access
Moritz, Max A., Morais, Marco E., Summerell, Lora A., Carlson, J. M., Doyle, John·2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Recent, large fires in the western United States have rekindled debates about fire management and the role of natural fire regimes in the resilience of terrestrial ecosystems. This real-world experience parallels debates involving abstract models of forest fires, a central metaphor in complex systems theory. Both real and modeled fire-prone landscapes exhibit roughly power law statistics in fire size versus frequency. Here, we examine historical fire catalogs and a detailed fire simulation model; both are in agreement with a highly optimized tolerance model. Highly optimized tolerance suggests robustness tradeoffs underlie resilience in different fire-prone ecosystems. Understanding these mechanisms may provide new insights into the structure of ecological systems and be key in evaluating fire management strategies and sensitivities to climate change.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.0508985102

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65 of 65 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Authors
Moritz, M. A., Morais, M. E., Summerell, L. A., Carlson, J. M., & Doyle, J.
Affiliations
California Institute of Technology (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2005-12-06
Volume
102
Issue
50
Pages
17912-17917
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2052350246
Cited by
276
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 13
FWCI
4.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Condensed Matter Physics › Theoretical and Computational Physics
Keywords
forest fires, fire regimes, fire management, ecosystem resilience, power-law statistics, fire simulation model, complex systems, climate change sensitivity, historical fire records
MeSH terms
Computer Simulation, Fires, Models, Theoretical, Ecosystem

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