| Forest Fires | 
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From: Meerman J.
C. & W. Sabido 2001. Central American Ecosystems Map:
Belize. Volume 1.
Fire as a threat to biodiversity and the status
of the vegetation, is not well understood. The frequency,
magnitude and effects that wildfires have had on biodiversity
in Belize have not been documented. However, the dimensions
of areas destroyed during these fires strongly imply major
destruction of flora and fauna" (Rosado in: Jacobs
& Castaneda, 1998). The ecological consequences of fire
in natural ecosystems are many and have been listed by Wade
et al (1980).
Fires in broadleaf forests are often ignored
and bear no resemblance to the massive blazes that can
be seen in burning needle-leaf forests. The fire is
usually low, and slowly creeping through the leaf litter.
Often it is possible to walk close up to it and even
through it without too much danger. There is usually
little "media value" in such fires. Only in
areas with Cohune (Attalea cohune), the effects
can be more dramatic. The abundant leaf litter under
these palms explodes into flames, often igniting the
crown and spraying sparks over great distances. But
even in the case of these slow, low fires, the damage
can be profound. Trees, especially young trees may appear
unharmed but still die over time. The mortality either
being the result of direct damage or indirect damage
such as increased pathogen access through the fire damaged
bark.
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Tree mortality as the result of such slow
fires may continue for several years after the actual fire
(pers. obs.). Each fire, which leaves more dead or dying
trees behind makes the forest even more prone to fire damage.
Fire in broad-leaved forest is a relatively
rare phenomenon. It is argued that in Central America most
species of trees have evolved in the absence of fire and
thus developed little tolerance for it (Budowski, 1966,
Hopkins, 1983). Actual documentation of lowland broadleaf
forest fires started by lightning is rare (Middleton et
al., 1997). Consequently, fire in tropical lowland forests
has traditionally been considered as human induced (Janzen,
1986; Koonce & Gonzalez-Caban, 1990). This view was
also taken by the TFAP team when considering the causes
for fire in the Southern Coastal Plains (ODA, 1989). This
is also the reason why fires are treated here as part of
the human impact factor. On the higher peaks of the Maya
Mountains, however, lightning strikes appear to be the major
cause of forest fires. Nearly 2/3 of the fires recorded
in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve are reportedly
caused by lightning strikes (ODA, 1989).
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