One alternative ecological method that can be used to discern past environments involves the use of “adaptations,” which are traits affecting the distributions and biological characteristics of plants and animals. Key adaptations are clear reflections of past fire regimes that served as the evolutionary backdrop against which those adaptations evolved. Examples include the thick bark on several western conifer tree species, or epicormic buds, or serotinous cones, or heat-induced seed germination associated with some plants growing in areas that experience infrequent severe fire. Examples from the animal kingdom include heat sensing organs on wood-boring beetles and blackened coloration on the Black-backed Woodpecker. Most adaptations to fire regimes reflect a long-term presence of severe fire.