Which statement about periodic natural wildfires in some forest ecosystems is most accurate?

• A. The fires dry out the soil and decrease the chance of flooding after heavy rains
• B. The fires remove dead and decaying plant matter, reducing the risk of more intense and destructive fires
• C. The fires drive off herbivores whose plant-based diets reduce the amount of vegetation
• D. The fires leach nutrients from the soil, preventing the germination of plants that might compete with native species

Answer: (B)

Regular wildfires in fire-adapted forests act as a natural reset by reducing the buildup of combustible material on the forest floor. By burning dead and decaying plant matter, they lower the fuel load, which makes future fires less likely to burn intensely or become destructive. This cycle helps maintain healthier vegetation patterns and supports the ecosystem’s fire-adapted dynamics.

Other ideas don’t fit as well: fires can increase, not decrease, runoff and erosion after heavy rains due to soil changes; they don’t primarily drive away herbivores to limit vegetation; and fires release nutrients from organic matter rather than leaching them away, often promoting germination rather than preventing it.