The role of fire in the coevolution of vegetation, soil and landscapes in south eastern Australia

Abstract

Fire is an important process in the earth system, with biological, ecological, hydrological and geomorphological consequences varying from negligible to severe. The short-term effect of fire on earth system processes had been studied in detail, however, its role in the coevolution of soil and vegetation within the critical zone has never been addressed. In South Eastern (SE) Australia, local studies have shown that post fire runoff and erosion rates increase with aridity (the ratio between potential evapotranspiration and precipitation). The systematic variation in forest type, fire frequency and post fire response make SE Australian uplands an excellent natural laboratory to study the role ..