Characterization of the ecological impacts of prescribed fire in South America: a review

Abstract

Prescribed fire has been shown to offer substantial benefits to both human populations and ecosystems, but it can also cause environmental harm, such as reduced air quality and negative impacts on sensitive species. To support the appropriate use of prescribed fire, stakeholders and policymakers require robust information on the trade-offs between prescribed fire and wildfires. This review aims to evaluate the scientific literature addressing the trade-offs between wildfire and prescribed fire regimes in South American ecosystems, illustrating how prescribed fire regime factors influence ecosystem preservation. We reviewed 79 peer-reviewed papers from six countries, published in 63 scientific journals, primarily over the past two decades. A notable contrast in knowledge production was observed between the western (less studied) and eastern (more studied) regions of South America. Prescribed fire can serve as an effective tool without causing adverse effects on forest health in ecosystems, particularly in savannas of Brazil and Argentina. Although pollutant emissions may increase when vegetation fuel loads are high, effective fuel management can reduce wildfire risk for local populations. However, the role of local populations as ignition agents is significantly underestimated and remains largely absent from both empirical and modeling studies.