ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews scientific understanding of the way that fire may affect the structure, function and biodiversity of forests and discusses the implications of this knowledge for the sustainable management of such ecosystems. It utilizes the forested region of south eastern Australia as a case study. The issue of fire protection versus fire management is controversial and has been debated for several decades in Australia. The responses of the biota to fire regimes may be strongly influenced by their life-history characteristics. Nutrient losses from an ecosystem are generally believed to be highest after high-intensity fire. In forest ecosystems of North America and Australia, fire is often employed to reduce plant biomass, with the aim of making wildfires more manageable and reducing the perceived threat to human life and property. A sophisticated and integrated approach to landscape planning and management is required if fire policy is to be based on scientific information that is amenable to evaluation, adaptation and revision.
