Educational guide
IDENTIFYING DATA 2023_24
Subject THE FIRE AS ENVIRONMENTAL DISTURBANCE Code 01735020
Study programme
1735 - MASTER UNIVERSITARIO EN RIESGOS NATURALES
Descriptors Credit. Type Year Period
4 Compulsory First First
Language
Castellano
Ingles
Prerequisites
Department BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL
Coordinador
CALVO GALVÁN , MARÍA LEONOR
E-mail mlcalg@unileon.es
mrtarg@unileon.es
jofeg@unileon.es
Lecturers
CALVO GALVÁN , MARÍA LEONOR
TÁRREGA GARCÍA-MARES , MARÍA REYES
FERNANDEZ GUISURAGA , JOSE MANUEL
Web http://
General description Forest fires represent one of the most important problems in the Mediterranean Basin, so this course aims to address the study of their effects on ecosystems, in order to define prevention measures.
Tribunales de Revisión
Tribunal titular
Cargo Departamento Profesor
Presidente BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL FERNANDEZ ALAEZ , CAMINO
Secretario BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL ANSOLA GONZALEZ , GEMMA
Vocal BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL BECARES MANTECON , ELOY
Tribunal suplente
Cargo Departamento Profesor
Presidente BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL VALBUENA RELEA , MARIA LUZ
Secretario BAGLIONE , VITTORIO
Vocal BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL GARCIA CRIADO , FRANCISCO


Topic Sub-topic
Lesson 1.- Fire as an ecological disturbance.
Fire as an ecological disturbance. Fire regime factors. Fire problems at different spatial scales. Current and recent past fire regime in Spain. Types of fires.
Lesson 2.- Physics and chemistry of ignition and combustion.
Physics and chemistry of ignition and combustion. Phases of combustion. Estimation of the intensity of the fire after the passage of the same one.
Lesson 3.-Environmental and biotic factors of fire risk. Fire Risk Indexes.
Meteorological conditions and fire regime. Topographic conditions and fire regime. Vegetable fuels: Structural and chemical components. Fuel models. Fire risk indexes.

Lesson 4.- Effects of fire on edaphic processes in ecosystems.
Influence of the state of the soil before the fire. Transformations during the fire. Transformations after the fire. Effects of the first rains. Medium and long term effects. Recurrence of fires and soil. Fire severity.

Lesson 5.-Effects of fire on climatic conditions.
Microclimatic alterations. Hydrological effects. Atmospheric emissions of pollutants. Global climate change and forest fires.
Lesson 6.- Effects of fire on plant populations and communities. Mechanisms of regeneration and dynamics of plant communities.

Lesson 7.- Restoration of vegetation cover after fires.
Ecological bases of restoration. Impact risk analysis. Types of restoration in the short and medium term.


Lesson 8.- Integral management of forest fires: extinction and prevention.


Practical classes
1.- Factors that condition the fire regime.
2.- Impacts of forest fires on the provision of ecosystem services
3.- Effects of fires on ecosystem recovery at a broad spatial scale
4.- Flammability analysis of fuels.
5.- Soil Severity Indicators
6.- Effects of fire recurrence on seed production and viability, and on ecosystem recovery. Importance of forest restoration in the recovery of ecosystems.
7.- Identification of fuel patterns and their importance in fire progression.
Practical applications of environmental education in the prevention of forest fires (Center for the Defense against Forest Fires of the Junta de Castilla y León).

Seminars: Fire hazards, socioeconomy and regional issues. Group work to be presented in class.

Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Class hours Hours outside the classroom Total hours
Laboratory practicals 12 18 30
 
Field work/trips 9 13.5 22.5
Seminars 3 4.5 7.5
 
Lecture 14 21 35
 
Objective short-answer tests 2 3 5
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies   ::  
  Description
Laboratory practicals The practices represent a direct application of the contents covered in the theoretical classes. Their purpose is to clarify and reinforce the knowledge acquired so that the student is able to apply it effectively. Work is done with computers to identify fire regime parameters, the factors that define these parameters and the effects on ecosystems. Laboratory practices are carried out to identify the flammability of fuels and the severity on the ground. Both are taught in English. Another internship is carried out at the CDF (Center for Fire Defense of the Junta de Casilla y León) and is complemented by seminars conducted by the students who elaborate scientific contents to be included in environmental education campaigns to reduce the risk of forest fires.
Field work/trips Two field practices are included: the first field trip will analyze the effects of recurrence and severity on the recovery of ecosystems and populations of the dominant species. In the second field trip, fuel models will be identified.
Seminars Seminars: Fire hazards, socioeconomy and regional issues. Group work to be presented in class- To be done in English. To conduct the seminars, students will be provided with documentation in English. Each seminar will be carried out by groups of 3 or 4 students.
Lecture The theoretical classes are structured according to the following scheme: 1. The topic is started by placing it in its context in relation to the rest of the syllabus, the different sections to be developed and the specific objectives are stated. 2. Next, the contents are developed in a coherent and properly structured manner. 3. It ends with a brief summary and recapitulation of what has been exposed. Although the theoretical classes are given in the form of a lecture by the professor, the interaction with the student is continuous, either by solving the doubts raised by the students at any time, or by encouraging their participation through the raising of questions.

 
Lecture
Seminars
Description
Non-compulsory tutorials, on dates to be determined, at the request of the students.

  Description Qualification
Lecture Mastery of the theoretical content of the subject 50%
Laboratory practicals Participation and mastery of the practical content of the subject 20%
Field work/trips Participation in and mastery of the content of field practices 15%
Seminars Quality and clarity of exposition. Memory. Participation in the debate. 15%
 
Other comments and second call

The exam represents 50% of the final grade. It is necessary to obtain a minimum of 5 points out of 10 in the exam in order to average the grades of the different practical and seminar works.

In the second call, the student will repeat the parts of the course that he/she has not passed in the first call, subject to recovery.

Students who have not attended class will have to opt for the second ordinary call. In this case, the evaluation will be carried out exclusively by exam.

During the exams and evaluation tests, the use and possession of any type of materials, media and resources that serve as a source of information is prohibited, except those that may be specifically authorized by the teacher in each of the tests. Failure to comply will result in a failing grade. The internal regulations of the ULE included in the document PAUTAS DE ACTUACIÓN EN LOS SUPUESTOS DE PLAGIO, COPIA O FRAUDE EN EXÁMENES O PRUEBAS DE EVALUACIÓN approved by the Standing Committee of the Governing Council of the University of León on January 29, 2015 will be applied.

Basic TERRADAS, J. , Ecologia del foc. , Proa. Barcelona, 1996
RODRÍGUEZ TEJO, D.A., Educación e incendios Forestales, Mundi-Prensa, Madrid, 2000
BOND W.J. & VAN WILGEN, B.W. , Fire and Plants. Populations and community, Chapman & Hall. London, 1996
Scott, A.C., Bowman, D.M., Bond, W.J., Pyne, S.J., Alexander, M.E., Fire on the Earth. An introduction, John Wiley & Sons. UK, 2014
DEBANO, L.F.; NEARY, D.G. & FFOLLIOTT, P.F. , Fire’s effects on ecosystems, Wiley, 1998
PAUSAS, J., Incendios forestales, una introducción a la ecología del fuego, Catarata y C.S.I.C. Madrid, 2012
VÉLEZ, R. , La defensa contra incendios forestales. Fundamentos y experiencias, Mc Graw Hill. Madrid., 2000
MORENO, J.M. (Ed.) , Large forest fires, Backuys Publishers. Leiden, 1998
TRABAUD, L. , Les feux de forêts. Mécanismes, Comportement et environment., Fance -Sélection. Aubervilliers. Aubervilliers, 1989
TÁRREGA, R. & LUIS, E. , Los incendios forestales en León., Ed. Universidad de León. León., 1992
Moreira, F., Arianoutsou, M., Corona, P., De las Heras, J., Post-Fire Management and Restoration of Southern European Forests, Managing Forest Ecosystem 24. Springer. London., 2012

Complementary