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Loss of ancient grazers triggered a global rise in fires

• abeppu 5y ago
  From the article and the abstract it sounds like they showed that after extinctions of species in this category, grassland fires increased. But ... weren't those extinctions caused by something (the end of the ice age in some places, arrival of humans in others) which each might also have contributed to increased fires? So, how should one try to substantiate the word "triggered" as versus just "preceded"?
  • dredmorbius 5y ago
    From TFA: "Continents that lost more grazers (South America, then North America) saw larger increases in fire extent, whereas continents that saw lower rates of extinction (Australia and Africa) saw little change in grassland fire activity." That seems to be the principle basis for drawing a causal relation, though there's a fairly strong north/south element (excepting South America) as well.