Jon Keeley
Dr. Keeley is currently a research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, stationed at Sequoia National Park.
Prior to this appointment, he served one year in Washington, D.C. as director of the ecology program for the National Science Foundation. He was professor of biology at Occidental College for 20 years and spent a sabbatical year at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He has more than 350 publications in national and international scientific journals and books. His research has focused on ecological impacts of wildfires as well as other aspects of plant ecology, including rare plants, rare habitats such as vernal pools, and plant physiology. In 1985 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and is a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America and an Honorary Lifetime Member of the California Botanical Society. He has served on the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning Environmental Review Board, and the State of California Natural Communities Conservation Program (NCCP) Board of Scientific Advisors.
Professional Experience
U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Research Scientist
(ST Scientist), 2015–present
(GS series 0408), 1998–present
University of California, Los Angeles, Adjunct Full Professor, 2001-present
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Research Associate, 1997–present
National Science Foundation, Program Director 1997–1998
Occidental College,
Professor 1988–1998
Department Chair 1982–1988
Assist/Assoc Professor 1977–1988
University of Cape Town, Visiting Professor 1990
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. (Botany) University of Georgia, Athens, 1977
M.S. (Biology) San Diego State University, 1973
B.S. (Biology) San Diego State University, 1971
Honors and Awards
Fellow, Ecological Society of America, 2014
Distinguished MEDECOS Fellow, 2011
USGS Performance Award, 2011
USGS Star Award, 2008
Honorary Lifetime Member, California Botanical Society, 1998
Fellow, Southern California Academy of Sciences, l994
Guggenheim Fellow, l985–l986
Sterling Award for Outstanding Teaching, l985
Science and Products
Attacking invasive grasses
Location, timing and extent of wildfire vary by cause of ignition
Different fire-climate relationships on forested and non-forested landscapes in the Sierra Nevada ecoregion
Effect of mastication and other mechanical treatments on fuel structure in chaparral
Mission manzanita, queen of the elfin forest: is the species in decline?
Faunal responses to fire in chaparral and sage scrub in California, USA
Influence of fuels, weather and the built environment on the exposure of property to wildfire
Evolutionary ecology of resprouting and seeding in fire-prone ecosystems
Abrupt climate-independent fire regime changes
Aquatic CAM photosynthesis: a brief history of its discovery
Three papers that influenced the direction of my career
The role of defensible space for residential structure protection during wildfires
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Attacking invasive grasses
In grasslands fire may play a role in the plant invasion process, both by creating disturbances that potentially favour non-native invasions and as a possible tool for controlling alien invasions. Havill et al. (Applied Vegetation Science, 18, 2015, this issue) determine how native and non-native species respond to different fire regimes as a first step in understanding the potential control of inAuthorsJon E. KeeleyLocation, timing and extent of wildfire vary by cause of ignition
The increasing extent of wildfires has prompted investigation into alternative fire management approaches to complement the traditional strategies of fire suppression and fuels manipulation. Wildfire prevention through ignition reduction is an approach with potential for success, but ignitions result from a variety of causes. If some ignition sources result in higher levels of area burned, then igAuthorsAlexandra D. Syphard, Jon E. KeeleyDifferent fire-climate relationships on forested and non-forested landscapes in the Sierra Nevada ecoregion
In the California Sierra Nevada region, increased fire activity over the last 50 years has only occurred in the higher-elevation forests on US Forest Service (USFS) lands, and is not characteristic of the lower-elevation grasslands, woodlands and shrublands on state responsibility lands (Cal Fire). Increased fire activity on USFS lands was correlated with warmer and drier springs. Although this isAuthorsJon E. Keeley, Alexandra D. SyphardEffect of mastication and other mechanical treatments on fuel structure in chaparral
Mechanical fuel treatments are a common pre-fire strategy for reducing wildfire hazard that alters fuel structure by converting live canopy fuels to a compacted layer of dead surface fuels. Current knowledge concerning their effectiveness, however, comes primarily from forest-dominated ecosystems. Our objectives were to quantify and compare changes in shrub-dominated chaparral following crushing,AuthorsTeresa J. Brennan, Jon E. KeeleyMission manzanita, queen of the elfin forest: is the species in decline?
No abstract availableAuthorsLee Gordon, Richard W. Halsey, Jon E. Keeley, Jon P. Rebman, Delbert Wiens, Arne JohansonFaunal responses to fire in chaparral and sage scrub in California, USA
Impact of fire on California shrublands has been well studied but nearly all of this work has focused on plant communities. Impact on and recovery of the chaparral fauna has received only scattered attention; this paper synthesizes what is known in this regard for the diversity of animal taxa associated with California shrublands and outlines the primary differences between plant and animal responAuthorsElizabeth van Mantgem, Jon E. Keeley, Marti WitterInfluence of fuels, weather and the built environment on the exposure of property to wildfire
Wildfires can pose a significant risk to people and property. Billions of dollars are spent investing in fire management actions in an attempt to reduce the risk of loss. One of the key areas where money is spent is through fuel treatment – either fuel reduction (prescribed fire) or fuel removal (fuel breaks). Individual treatments can influence fire size and the maximum distance travelled from thAuthorsTrent D. Penman, Luke S. Collins, Alexandra D. Syphard, Jon E. Keeley, Ross A. BradstockEvolutionary ecology of resprouting and seeding in fire-prone ecosystems
There are two broad mechanisms by which plant populations persist under recurrent disturbances: resprouting from surviving tissues, and seedling recruitment. Species can have one of these mechanisms or both. However, a coherent framework explaining the differential evolutionary pressures driving these regeneration mechanisms is lacking. We propose a bottom-up approach in addressing this question tAuthorsJuli G. Pausas, Jon E. KeeleyAbrupt climate-independent fire regime changes
Wildfires have played a determining role in distribution, composition and structure of many ecosystems worldwide and climatic changes are widely considered to be a major driver of future fire regime changes. However, forecasting future climatic change induced impacts on fire regimes will require a clearer understanding of other drivers of abrupt fire regime changes. Here, we focus on evidence fromAuthorsJuli G. Pausas, Jon E. KeeleyAquatic CAM photosynthesis: a brief history of its discovery
Aquatic CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) photosynthesis was discovered while investigating an unrelated biochemical pathway concerned with anaerobic metabolism. George Bowes was a significant contributor to this project early in its infancy. Not only did he provide me with some valuable perspectives on peer review rejections, but by working with his gas exchange system I was able to take our iniAuthorsJon E. KeeleyThree papers that influenced the direction of my career
No abstract available.AuthorsJon E. KeeleyThe role of defensible space for residential structure protection during wildfires
With the potential for worsening fire conditions, discussion is escalating over how to best reduce effects on urban communities. A widely supported strategy is the creation of defensible space immediately surrounding homes and other structures. Although state and local governments publish specific guidelines and requirements, there is little empirical evidence to suggest how much vegetation modifiAuthorsAlexandra D. Syphard, Teresa J. Brennan, Jon E. Keeley - Software
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