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
Plant diversity and invasives in blue oak savannas of the southern Sierra Nevada,
Fire management of California shrubland landscapes
A new species of Ceanothus from northern Baja California
Fire and invasives in mediterranean-climate ecosystems of California
[Book review] Ecology, biogeography and management of Pinus halepensis and P. brutia forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin, by G. Ne'eman and L. Trabaud
On incorporating fire into our thinking about natural ecosystems: A response to Saha and Howe
History and management of crown-fire ecosystems: A summary and response
Historic fire regime in southern California shrublands
We still need Smokey Bear!
Varied ecosystems need different fire protection
Restoration with smoke-dependent species
Role of fire in regeneration from seed
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 354
Plant diversity and invasives in blue oak savannas of the southern Sierra Nevada,
No abstract available at this timeAuthorsJ. E. KeeleyFire management of California shrubland landscapes
Fire management of California shrublands has been heavily influenced by policies designed for coniferous forests, however, fire suppression has not effectively excluded fire from chaparral and coastal sage scrub landscapes and catastrophic wildfires are not the result of unnatural fuel accumulation. There is no evidence that prescribed burning in these shrublands provides any resource benefit andAuthorsJon E. KeeleyA new species of Ceanothus from northern Baja California
Ceanothus bolensis S. Boyd & J. Keeley is a new species in the subgenus Cerastes from northwestern Baja California, Mexico. It is well represented at elevations above 1000 m on Cerro Bola, a basaltic peak approximately 35 km south of the U.S./Mexican border. It is characterized by small, obovate to oblanceolate, cupped, essentially glabrous leaves with sparsely toothed margins, pale blue flowers,AuthorsSteve Boyd, Jon E. KeeleyFire and invasives in mediterranean-climate ecosystems of California
No abstract available.AuthorsJ. E. Keeley[Book review] Ecology, biogeography and management of Pinus halepensis and P. brutia forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin, by G. Ne'eman and L. Trabaud
Review of: Ne'eman, G. & Trabaud, L. Ecology, Biogeography and Management of Pinus halepensis and P. brutia Forest Ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin. xii + 412 pp. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. ISBN 90?5782-055-2 (hardcover). Price: USD 120.00.AuthorsJ. E. KeeleyOn incorporating fire into our thinking about natural ecosystems: A response to Saha and Howe
Ecologists long have had a fascination with fire impacts, although they have been slow to incorporate this ecological factor into serious thinking about the structure of communities and evolution of species (Bond and van Wilgen 1996). The remarks by Saha and Howe (2001, in this issue) illustrate some of the problems ecologists have in trying to apply fire to their thinking about natural ecosystemAuthorsJon E. Keeley, William J. BondHistory and management of crown-fire ecosystems: A summary and response
Some ecosystems, such as yellow pine forests, have had a long history of frequent surface fires, but because of fire suppression policy, fires have been largely excluded from them during the last century (Covington 2000). Unnatural fuel accumulation in these forests has increased the potential for large, catastrophic crown fires, and re-introduction of prescribed fire is one remedy for this criticAuthorsJon E. Keeley, C. J. FotheringhamHistoric fire regime in southern California shrublands
Historical variability in fire regime is a conservative indicator of ecosystem sustainability, and thus understanding the natural role of fire in chaparral ecosystems is necessary for proper fire management. It has been suggested that the “natural” fire regime was one of frequent small fires that fragmented the landscape into a fine-grained mixture of age classes that precluded large, catastrophicAuthorsJ. E. Keeley, C. J. FotheringhamWe still need Smokey Bear!
It was gratifying to see articles in recent issues of Fire Management Today clarifying the role of Smokey Bear in wildland fire management strategies (Baily 1999; Brown 1999). These articles clearly spelled out Smokey’s importance in reducing unplanned human-ignited wildland fires and rightly criticized attempts to detract from Smokey’s campaign (Williams 1995; see also Vogl 1973).AuthorsJon E. KeeleyVaried ecosystems need different fire protection
Covington states in his Commentary1 that the open ponderosa pine forests of the western United States are "in widespread collapse" because fire suppression by humans has eliminated the low-intensity surface fire regime that maintained the open, park-like structure of these forests. He fears this will lead to an "unprecedented" crown fire regime that will eliminate forests.AuthorsSheri L. Gutsell, Edward A. Johnson, Kiyoko Miyanishi, Jon E. Keeley, Matthew Dickinson, Simon R. J. BridgeRestoration with smoke-dependent species
Examination of blood films from wood ducks (Aix sponsa) from several northeastern states revealed Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium and a typanosome. Haemoproteus occurred in all areas sampled and birds of the year from Massachusetts demonstrated the highest incidence during the last 2 weeks in August. Leucocytozoon was most prevalent in more northern areas. P. circumflexum and a trypanosAuthorsJ. E. Keeley, M.B. KeeleyRole of fire in regeneration from seed
The effects of fire on seed germination and plant regeneration are discussed. Among the topics considered are the triggering of opening of serotinous fruits or cones by fire, the breaking of dormancy in seeds in the soil seed bank, the effects of smoke on germination, and the role of fire in initiating seedling recruitment by opening gaps in closed vegetation.AuthorsJon E. Keeley, C. J. Fotheringham - Software
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