Understanding Forest Ecology: Fire, Water, and Bark Beetles

An estimated 129 million trees have died in California’s national forests since 2010. It’s important to look at how the ecosystem works, and how it's tied together, to help to understand why. Researchers discuss two things that help to influence forests: fire and water. The availability of water influences the size of trees, the density and the types of trees. Fire controls what’s going on in the understory-the future of the forest.