WILDFIRES AS A FACTOR OF LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND FOREST ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS

Abstract

Due to the ever-increasing anthropogenic impact and global climate change, wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense all over the world. The wildfire factor is turning into an acute problem for forested countries that requires prompt solutions as the areas of forest ecosystems are reducing catastrophically, which results in an irreparable loss of biodiversity that provides all ecosystem functions and services. Many biologists consider wildfires a factor destructive to biota that results in permanent loss of some species and groups of living organisms; even if it is possible for them to recover after a wildfire, they may need a lot of time to do so. However, some studies argue that wildfires do not reduce the biodiversity in forest ecosystems, but even increase it, thus contributing to species conservation and sustainable functioning of forests. This article is aimed at analyzing the studies of how wildfires impact the main components, biodiversity, and functions of forest ecosystems. The authors answer the question of why wildfires while being a destructive factor, are sometimes considered a factor increasing biodiversity. The “positive” influence wildfires have on biodiversity mostly comes down to the formation of mosaic patterns, that is, forest canopy gaps that occur after a wildfire. However, analysis of references shows that the established opinion found in a number of studies that a certain frequency of wildfires is necessary to maintain forest communities may be associated with ignoring or misunderstanding the importance of biotic factors in the functioning of forests. In modern forest ecosystems, populations of keystone large mammal species have disappeared or greatly declined; therefore, there are no microsites they usually form, including large forest canopy gaps (glades) that provide opportunities for photophilous flora and pollinating insects to develop and generally maintain adequate conditions for multi-aged polydominant forest ecosystems with high biodiversity. In the forestry practice, there are measures to maintain mosaics. They include special types of felling, supporting populations of keystone animal species, etc., and are both significantly less catastrophic in comparison with the wildfire factor and substantiated biologically. The authors provide recommendations for the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem functions in modern forests.