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University of Wyoming
- Department of Botany
- Program in Ecology |
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What is
Forest Ecology? Forest ecology is a branch of ecology that
focuses on patterns and processes in forests. Forests are, studied at
any number of organizational levels, from the individual organism to the
ecosystem. Trees are an important component of our research, but the wide
variety of life forms and abiotic components present in forests, such as
other plant species and soil nutrients, are part of our research as well.
Forest ecology is a highly diverse and important branch of ecological study. What is
Fire Ecology? Fire
ecology is a branch of ecology that focuses on the origins of wildland fire and its relationship to the environment
that surrounds it, both biotic and abiotic. A wildland
fire is defined as any fire that is burning in a natural environment.
Fire is a natural process, and is an integral part of the ecosystem in which
it occurs. The main factors that we focus on in fire ecology are fire
dependence and adaptation of plants and animals, fire history, fire regime
and fire effects on ecosystems. |
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