Intl. J. of Mol. Evol. and Biodivers. 2013, Vol. 3, No.2, 5-10
http://ijmeb.sophiapublisher.com
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century especially in recent decades.
This paper discusses the impact of seasonal wildfire
on forest and wildlife resources in artificial forest
plantations and suggests ways of ameliorating these
impacts on forest and wildlife biodiversity.
1
Sources and importance of wildfire
Wildfire has both natural and artificial origin.
Wildfires occur in forest reserves and other bushes
and plantation areas (FDF, 1986). The existence of
favourable fire danger conditions like low humidity,
high temperature, dry wind and sufficient dry matter
together with human activities are found to be a major
factor responsible for fire occurrence in Nigeria.
Brown and Davis (1973) enumerated eight causes of
forest fire in the United States. These are: natural –
lightening and friction due to objects robbing together
and artificial – campfire, debris burning, incendiary,
lumbering, railroad, smokers and miscellaneous. It is
therefore evidence that major causes of wildfire are of
artificial sources resulting from human activities
towards economic emancipation.
Clarke and Show (1953) described lightning as a
cause of fire with the natural phenomenon reaching its
peak in the rocky mountains of Canada and the United
States. However, in many other parts of the world, it is
of no great importance. Luke and McArthur (1978)
maintained that fire under rail roads included not only
the fires started by locomotive sparks and other causes
incidental to operating trains but also fires caused in
the course of construction or maintenance of the right
of way. Brown and Davis (1973), described debris
burning as any fire spreading from a fire set to burn
rubbish or garbage or for the purpose of land clearing,
range, stubble or meadow burning and accounts for
28%
of forest fire in United States. Smokers and
campfires have been described by different authors as
almost entirely due to carelessness in one form or
another since there is no positive motive to set such
fire. The burning of dead leaves and debris
contributed immensely to wildfire.
The significant of wildfire on forest and wildlife
biodiversity is very destructive and is worthy of note.
FAO (1953) and Tilman et al (1966) described fire as
the greatest enemy of forest resources. Wildfire is
unplanned or uncontrolled burning and is therefore
very destructive. Wildfire results in loss of vegetation,
destruction of ecosystem which leads to loss of habitat
and a disturbance of biology of a variety of wild
animals. Billings (1978), reported that the destruction
of ecosystems by man came along with civilization
whether or not man needed the land for agriculture or
just for a quick harvest of certain natural resources.
Examples are numerous: the cutting, burning and
abandonment of forestland, overhunting and
elimination of big grazing animals such as okapi and
elephants in Africa, bison in North America etc. leads
to loss of biodiversity.
Migrated species of wild animals into ecosystems or
inter-ecosystem movement of animals producing new
species habitable to the new environment and
increasing genetic reserve are destroyed during
wildfire. It is therefore sad watching plantations and
reserves established and maintained at great cost
disappearing in smoke. FDF (1986) reported that
about 30% of forest lands in some states of Nigeria is
burnt down every year with the loss running into
hundreds of thousands of naira including biodiversity.
The summary of the consequences of fire on
vegetation, animals and soil are enormous. It causes
change on vegetation covers, defoliation, reduction in
both tree height and diameter growth which may lead
to stunted growth and poor bole form. Fire weakens
trees, makes them lose growth and may later be
attacked by insects. Fire can affect the number and
rate of activities of soil organisms, remove or change
the rate of soil organic matter formation and
accumulation. Surface compactness and essential
nutrients availability are equally influenced by fire.
Fire eventually reduces animal population and to an
extent irreparable loss of biodiversity.
2
Periods of wildfire
Wildfire occurs more frequently during the dry season
between the months of December and March, when
the air temperature is high and relative humidity and
fuel loads moisture content are low (Adegbola, 1985).
Vegetation is set ablaze annually between November
and January (Early burning) or from February to the
beginning of rains (late burning) .Early burning is