Chaparral ecosystems are rare and hard to find places. The largest chaparral ecosystem is in California. They can also be found in parts of northern Mexico, Australia, Chile, and South Africa. These unique ecosystems are made up of plants and animals. When it is winter, it is mild and wet. When it is summer, it is hot and dry. There is little rainfall in these ecosystems, which makes wildfires start easily. These wildfires are common in chaparral ecosystems, but are they helpful or harmful? I think wildfires are more helpful than harmful
Firstly, wildfires can help some plants produce more of its kind. While some plants’ production isn’t reinforced by wildfires, some plants in the chaparral ecosystems actually cannot reproduce without wildfires. The heat and smoke from wildfires can change the soil, then the flames can release the seeds from the plants. The seeds will land in the changed soil and will begin to grow. The flames can also help the seeds grow quicker, since it has light. For example, lodgepole pines have seeds that are encased in resin, when the heat of a fire melts the resin, the plant is able to release its seeds. This is an example of a plant that can only reproduce when there is a fire. So, wildfires can help certain plants reproduce.
Secondly, wildfires can help clear out unnecessary plants. Sometimes plant growth can grow out of control and shrubs take over. When a certain kind of plant has too many, it can ruin the ecosystem, it can make other plants die out as that certain kind of plant steals nutrients, light, or water from them. At this point, wildfires become useful, the fires can help burn down that kind of plant, to save the other plants from going extinct. This can also save the environment’s resources from being eaten away quickly by the overgrown plants. Since animals need some plants for food and we need some plants for materials, we cannot let only one kind of plant grow, we need biodiversity. So, wildfires can keep plant growth under control.
Last but not least, wildfires can help clear out parts of dead forest. Sometimes when trees, animals, or other plants die, they pile up and make it so that there is less room in the forest to build things or grow things. It can also affect the environment, dead plants can release carbon into the air, instead of fresh air, this can harm us. To protect our space and air, we can let wildfires start to clear up dead plants. For example if dead trees pile up, then you would have a hard time going through the forest, because the dead trees would block the way. If a delivery truck comes through the forest to deliver a package to you, they would get stuck. So, wildfires prevent dead plants or animals from piling up.
In conclusion, wildfires are common in chaparral ecosystems and they are helpful. Wildfires can help certain plants produce more of their kind, wildfires can change the quality of the soil and the flames can burn the parts holding the plants’ seeds and release the seeds. Wildfires can keep plants from overgrowing, this saves other plants from becoming extinct in that certain area. Wildfires can also clear out dead plants and animals, this saves space and helps the environment. So, wildfires can help us in many ways, so we should let them start. We should not be afraid of wildfires, because they can help us.
Comments