Cited by 641Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesFire effects on ecosystemsSoil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

The influence of island area on ecosystem properties

Wardle, David A., Zackrisson, Olle, Hörnberg, Greger, Gallet, Christiane·1997·Science

Abstract

Island area is frequently a major determinant of the species composition of biological communities; community structure, in turn, often has important effects on ecosystem-level properties. Fifty islands of varying area were selected in an archipelago in the northern Swedish boreal forest zone, in which larger islands burn more frequently than smaller ones through wildfire arising from lightning strike, thus inducing a significant relationship between island area and plant species composition. This relationship was found to be a major factor in determining several ecosystem-level properties of these islands, including standing biomass, plant litter decomposition, nitrogen mineralization, terrestrial carbon partitioning, humus accumulation, and plant nitrogen acquisition.

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.277.5330.1296

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  • Small populations of humans can significantly increase the ignition density if these populations are highly mobile or inhabit landscapes where background fire activity is low, such as on islands where the target area for lightning is small.

    “Small populations of humans can significantly increase the ignition density if these populations are highly mobile or inhabit landscapes where background fire activity is low, such as on islands where the target area for lightning is small (Wardle et al., 1997).”

    From The human dimension of fire regimes on Earth (2011) · cites this paper as Wardle et al., 1997

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Authors
Wardle, D. A., Zackrisson, O., Hörnberg, G., & Gallet, C.
Affiliations
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
  • D. A. Wardle, O. Zackrisson, G. Hörnberg, Department of Forest Vegetation Ecology, Faculty of Forestry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden.
Corresponding author
Wardle, David A.
Venue
Science
Published
1997-08-29
Volume
277
Issue
5330
Pages
1296-1299
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W2064079357
Cited by
641
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 25
FWCI
37.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Science (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
Keywords
island size, species composition, community structure, ecosystem properties, plant litter decomposition, nitrogen mineralization, carbon allocation, humus accumulation, plant nitrogen acquisition, standing biomass

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