Fire phenomena and the earth system : an interdisciplinary guide to fire science / edited by Claire M. Belcher. [electronic resource] Belcher, Claire M. Wildfires Environmental aspects. Forest fires Environmental aspects. Environmental geology. SD421 .F5165 2013 363.37/9 363.379 551 Includes index. Includes bibliographical references and index. Print version record. Fire plays a key role in Earth system processes. Wildfires influence the carbon cycle and the nutrient balance of our planet, and may even play a role in regulating the oxygen content of our atmosphere. The evolutionary history of plants has been intimately tied to fire and this in part explains the distribution of our ecosystems and their ability to withstand the effects of natural fires today. Fire Phenomena and the Earth System brings together the various subdisciplines within fire science to provide a synthesis of our understanding of the role of wildfire in the Earth system. Chicester : Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. 2013. 2013 Text 1 online resource (367 pages) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9781118529539 eng Fire phenomena and the Earth system. Fire phenomena and the Earth system.