1
|
Watchorn DJ, Doherty TS, Wilson BA, Garkaklis MJ, Driscoll DA. How do invasive predators and their native prey respond to prescribed fire? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11450. [PMID: 38783847 PMCID: PMC11112300 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fire shapes animal communities by altering resource availability and species interactions, including between predators and prey. In Australia, there is particular concern that two highly damaging invasive predators, the feral cat (Felis catus) and European red fox (Vulpes vulpes), increase their activity in recently burnt areas and exert greater predation pressure on the native prey due to their increased exposure. We tested how prescribed fire occurrence and extent, along with fire history, vegetation, topography, and distance to anthropogenic features (towns and farms), affected the activity (detection frequency) of cats, foxes, and the native mammal community in south-eastern Australia. We used camera traps to quantify mammal activity before and after a prescribed burn and statistically tested how the fire interacted with these habitat variables to affect mammal activity. We found little evidence that the prescribed fire influenced the activity of cats and foxes and no evidence of an effect on kangaroo or small mammal (<800 g) activity. Medium-sized mammals (800-2000 g) were negatively associated with prescribed fire extent, suggesting that prescribed fire has a negative impact on these species in the short term. The lack of a clear activity increase from cats and foxes is likely a positive outcome from a fire management perspective. However, we highlight that their response is likely dependent upon factors like fire size, severity, and prey availability. Future experiments should incorporate GPS-trackers to record fine-scale movements of cats and foxes in temperate ecosystems immediately before and after prescribed fire to best inform management within protected areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darcy J. Watchorn
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus)Deakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsWoodvaleWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Barbara A. Wilson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus)Deakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Don A. Driscoll
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus)Deakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Michel A, Johnson JR, Szeligowski R, Ritchie EG, Sih A. Integrating sensory ecology and predator-prey theory to understand animal responses to fire. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1050-1070. [PMID: 37349260 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Fire regimes are changing dramatically worldwide due to climate change, habitat conversion, and the suppression of Indigenous landscape management. Although there has been extensive work on plant responses to fire, including their adaptations to withstand fire and long-term effects of fire on plant communities, less is known about animal responses to fire. Ecologists lack a conceptual framework for understanding behavioural responses to fire, which can hinder wildlife conservation and management. Here, we integrate cue-response sensory ecology and predator-prey theory to predict and explain variation in if, when and how animals react to approaching fire. Inspired by the literature on prey responses to predation risk, this framework considers both fire-naïve and fire-adapted animals and follows three key steps: vigilance, cue detection and response. We draw from theory on vigilance tradeoffs, signal detection, speed-accuracy tradeoffs, fear generalization, neophobia and adaptive dispersal. We discuss how evolutionary history with fire, but also other selective pressures, such as predation risk, should influence animal behavioural responses to fire. We conclude by providing guidance for empiricists and outlining potential conservation applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Michel
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jacob R Johnson
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Richard Szeligowski
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Euan G Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Taylor P, Swan M, Sitters H, Smith A, Di Stefano J. Small mammals reduce activity during high moon illumination under risk of predation by introduced predators. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10532. [PMID: 37386037 PMCID: PMC10310734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37166-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Predation influences prey survival and drives evolution of anti-predator behaviour. Anti-predator strategies by prey are stimulated by direct encounters with predators, but also by exposure to indicators of risk such as moonlight illumination and vegetation cover. Many prey species will suffer increased risk on moonlit nights, but risk may be reduced by the presence of dense vegetation. Determining the role of vegetation in reducing perceived risk is important, especially given predictions of increased global wildfire, which consumes vegetation and increases predation. We used remote cameras in southeastern Australia to compare support for the predation risk and habitat-mediated predation risk hypotheses. We examined the influence of moonlight and understorey cover on seven 20-2500 g mammalian prey species and two introduced predators, red foxes and feral cats. Activity of all prey species reduced by 40-70% with increasing moonlight, while one species (bush rat) reduced activity in response to increasing moonlight more sharply in low compared to high understorey cover. Neither predator responded to moonlight. Our findings supported the predation risk hypothesis and provided limited support for the habitat-mediated predation risk hypothesis. For prey, perceived costs of increased predation risk on moonlit nights outweighed any benefits of a brighter foraging environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Taylor
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, 1447 Forest Road, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia
| | - M Swan
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia.
| | - H Sitters
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia
| | - A Smith
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia
| | - J Di Stefano
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hohnen R, James AI, Jennings P, Murphy BP, Berris K, Legge SM, Dickman CR, Woinarski JCZ. Abundance and detection of feral cats decreases after severe fire on Kangaroo Island, Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Hohnen
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Northwest Territories Casurina Australia
- NRM South Tasmania South Hobart Australia
| | - Alex I. James
- Kangaroo Island Landscape Board South Australia Kingscote Australia
| | - Paul Jennings
- Kangaroo Island Landscape Board South Australia Kingscote Australia
| | - Brett P. Murphy
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Northwest Territories Casurina Australia
| | - Karleah Berris
- Kangaroo Island Landscape Board South Australia Kingscote Australia
| | - Sarah M. Legge
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Northwest Territories Casurina Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub University of Queensland Queensland St. Lucia Australia
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Fenner School of Society and Environment The Australian National University Australian Capital Territory Canberra Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney New South Wales Camperdown Australia
| | - John C. Z. Woinarski
- National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University Northwest Territories Casurina Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Pocknee CA, Legge SM, McDonald J, Fisher DO. Modeling mammal response to fire based on species' traits. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023:e14062. [PMID: 36704894 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fire has shaped ecological communities worldwide for millennia, but impacts of fire on individual species are often poorly understood. We performed a meta-analysis to predict which traits, habitat, or study variables and fire characteristics affect how mammal species respond to fire. We modeled effect sizes of measures of population abundance or occupancy as a function of various combinations of these traits and variables with phylogenetic least squares regression. Nine of 115 modeled species (7.83%) returned statistically significant effect sizes, suggesting most mammals are resilient to fire. The top-ranked model predicted a negative impact of fire on species with lower reproductive rates, regardless of fire type (estimate = -0.68), a positive impact of burrowing in prescribed fires (estimate = 1.46) but not wildfires, and a positive impact of average fire return interval for wildfires (estimate = 0.93) but not prescribed fires. If a species' International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List assessment includes fire as a known or possible threat, the species was predicted to respond negatively to wildfire relative to prescribed fire (estimate = -2.84). These findings provide evidence of experts' abilities to predict whether fire is a threat to a mammal species and the ability of managers to meet the needs of fire-threatened species through prescribed fire. Where empirical data are lacking, our methods provide a basis for predicting mammal responses to fire and thus can guide conservation actions or interventions in species or communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Pocknee
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sarah M Legge
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jane McDonald
- Institute for Future Environments, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Diana O Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Santos JL, Hradsky BA, Keith DA, Rowe KC, Senior KL, Sitters H, Kelly LT. Beyond inappropriate fire regimes: A synthesis of fire‐driven declines of threatened mammals in Australia. Conserv Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julianna L. Santos
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Australia
| | - Bronwyn A. Hradsky
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Australia
| | - David A. Keith
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
- New South Wales Department of Planning Infrastructure and Environment Parramatta Australia
| | - Kevin C. Rowe
- Sciences Department Museums Victoria Melbourne Australia
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Australia
| | - Katharine L. Senior
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Australia
| | - Holly Sitters
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Australia
| | - Luke T. Kelly
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Doherty TS, Geary WL, Jolly CJ, Macdonald KJ, Miritis V, Watchorn DJ, Cherry MJ, Conner LM, González TM, Legge SM, Ritchie EG, Stawski C, Dickman CR. Fire as a driver and mediator of predator-prey interactions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1539-1558. [PMID: 35320881 PMCID: PMC9546118 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Both fire and predators have strong influences on the population dynamics and behaviour of animals, and the effects of predators may either be strengthened or weakened by fire. However, knowledge of how fire drives or mediates predator–prey interactions is fragmented and has not been synthesised. Here, we review and synthesise knowledge of how fire influences predator and prey behaviour and interactions. We develop a conceptual model based on predator–prey theory and empirical examples to address four key questions: (i) how and why do predators respond to fire; (ii) how and why does prey vulnerability change post‐fire; (iii) what mechanisms do prey use to reduce predation risk post‐fire; and (iv) what are the outcomes of predator–fire interactions for prey populations? We then discuss these findings in the context of wildlife conservation and ecosystem management before outlining priorities for future research. Fire‐induced changes in vegetation structure, resource availability, and animal behaviour influence predator–prey encounter rates, the amount of time prey are vulnerable during an encounter, and the conditional probability of prey death given an encounter. How a predator responds to fire depends on fire characteristics (e.g. season, severity), their hunting behaviour (ambush or pursuit predator), movement behaviour, territoriality, and intra‐guild dynamics. Prey species that rely on habitat structure for avoiding predation often experience increased predation rates and lower survival in recently burnt areas. By contrast, some prey species benefit from the opening up of habitat after fire because it makes it easier to detect predators and to modify their behaviour appropriately. Reduced prey body condition after fire can increase predation risk either through impaired ability to escape predators, or increased need to forage in risky areas due to being energetically stressed. To reduce risk of predation in the post‐fire environment, prey may change their habitat use, increase sheltering behaviour, change their movement behaviour, or use camouflage through cryptic colouring and background matching. Field experiments and population viability modelling show instances where fire either amplifies or does not amplify the impacts of predators on prey populations, and vice versa. In some instances, intense and sustained post‐fire predation may lead to local extinctions of prey populations. Human disruption of fire regimes is impacting faunal communities, with consequences for predator and prey behaviour and population dynamics. Key areas for future research include: capturing data continuously before, during and after fires; teasing out the relative importance of changes in visibility and shelter availability in different contexts; documenting changes in acoustic and olfactory cues for both predators and prey; addressing taxonomic and geographic biases in the literature; and predicting and testing how changes in fire‐regime characteristics reshape predator–prey interactions. Understanding and managing the consequences for predator–prey communities will be critical for effective ecosystem management and species conservation in this era of global change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim S Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building A08, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - William L Geary
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch, Biodiversity Division, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia.,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Chris J Jolly
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Gungalman Drive, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia.,School of Natural Sciences, G17, Macquarie University, 205B Culloden Road, Macquarie Park, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Kristina J Macdonald
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Vivianna Miritis
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building A08, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Darcy J Watchorn
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Michael J Cherry
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 700 University Boulevard, MSC 218, Kingsville, TX, 78363, U.S.A
| | - L Mike Conner
- The Jones Center at Ichauway, 3988 Jones Center Drive, Newton, GA, 39870, U.S.A
| | - Tania Marisol González
- Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Modelación de Ecosistemas ECOLMOD, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Edificio 421, Bogotá, 111321, Colombia
| | - Sarah M Legge
- Fenner School of Environment & Society, The Australian National University, Linnaeus Way, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.,Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Level 5 Goddard Building, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Euan G Ritchie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3216, Australia
| | - Clare Stawski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway.,School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Chris R Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building A08, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Keith DA. Transcending the disaster paradigm: Understanding persistence of animal populations in fire-prone environments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:341-342. [PMID: 34644439 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An extensive high severity fire was a disaster for this swamp wallaby, but not its population, as many others detected the approaching fire and evaded its lethal heat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Keith
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- NSW Department of Planning, Industry & Environment, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zbawicka M, Wenne R, Dias PJ, Gardner JPA. Combined threats to native smooth-shelled mussels (genus Mytilus) in Australia: bioinvasions and hybridization. Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Human-mediated pressures, including bioinvasions, threaten the biotas of every continent. Hybridization and introgression between invasive and native species may result in loss of genetic integrity of native taxa but, in many cases, these events are hard to detect because the invader is impossible to tell apart from the native taxon. The problem of cryptic invasive taxa and its importance for biodiversity protection have been underestimated, because of the limited number of studies of broadly distributed taxa using sensitive nuclear DNA markers. We employed a panel of 51 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to examine genetic interactions between Australian native smooth-shelled mussels, Mytilus planulatus, and invasive and cryptic Northern Hemisphere M. galloprovincialis along 4400 km of coastline from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Overall, 20.8% of mussels from ten sites were native species. The centre of distribution of M. planulatus is in south-eastern Australia, in particular in Tasmania. We suggest that ongoing spatial and temporal monitoring of Tasmanian sites is required to test for the presence of M. galloprovincialis and its possible further spread, and that hatchery production of M. planulatus for farming and reseeding into the wild may help reduce the likelihood of its loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Zbawicka
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, Sopot, Poland
| | - Roman Wenne
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, Sopot, Poland
| | - Patricia Joana Dias
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jonathan P A Gardner
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nalliah R, Sitters H, Smith A, Di Stefano J. Untangling the influences of fire, habitat and introduced predators on the endangered heath mouse. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Nalliah
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Creswick VIC Australia
| | - Holly Sitters
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Creswick VIC Australia
| | - Amy Smith
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Creswick VIC Australia
| | - Julian Di Stefano
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Creswick VIC Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Bino G, Hawke T, Kingsford RT. Synergistic effects of a severe drought and fire on platypuses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 777:146137. [PMID: 33684764 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The strong inter-dependence between terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, mediated by the character of vegetation and landscapes, can have significant impacts to freshwater species. A changing climate towards hotter and drier climates is already increasing fire frequencies and severity around the world. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is an iconic freshwater Australia species, facing increasing threats since European colonisation and with a distribution which coincides with fire prone areas. While some evidence suggest platypuses are resilience to fires, the combination of severe wildfires and reduced water availability may significantly impact platypus populations. In this short communication we investigated the effects of fire on platypus populations in two rivers, following an extreme drought, comparing burnt and unburnt in adjacent river catchments, with similar habitat and geomorphology. Findings suggests significantly low platypus numbers in burned sites compared to those on the unburnt river, as well as to known densities across the species' range. Whether the fires directly impacted platypuses remains undetermined but the timing of the fires as well as an extreme drought likely impacted recruitment as we did not record any juveniles on both rivers. Platypuses are increasingly under threat from direct and indirect human developments across much of their range and increased frequency and severity of fires and droughts will further strain the viability of platypus populations, particularly in small streams more likely to dry out. Improving the resilience of platypus populations and their freshwater environments to both droughts and fires needs to become a priority.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Bino
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia.
| | - Tahneal Hawke
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard T Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Clarke MF, Kelly LT, Avitabile SC, Benshemesh J, Callister KE, Driscoll DA, Ewin P, Giljohann K, Haslem A, Kenny SA, Leonard S, Ritchie EG, Nimmo DG, Schedvin N, Schneider K, Watson SJ, Westbrooke M, White M, Wouters MA, Bennett AF. Fire and Its Interactions With Other Drivers Shape a Distinctive, Semi-Arid ‘Mallee’ Ecosystem. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.647557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fire shapes ecosystems globally, including semi-arid ecosystems. In Australia, semi-arid ‘mallee’ ecosystems occur primarily across the southern part of the continent, forming an interface between the arid interior and temperate south. Mallee vegetation is characterized by short, multi-stemmed eucalypts that grow from a basal lignotuber. Fire shapes the structure and functioning of mallee ecosystems. Using the Murray Mallee region in south-eastern Australia as a case study, we examine the characteristics and role of fire, the consequences for biota, and the interaction of fire with other drivers. Wildfires in mallee ecosystems typically are large (1000s ha), burn with high severity, commonly cause top-kill of eucalypts, and create coarse-grained mosaics at a regional scale. Wildfires can occur in late spring and summer in both dry and wet years. Recovery of plant and animal communities is predictable and slow, with regeneration of eucalypts and many habitat components extending over decades. Time since the last fire strongly influences the distribution and abundance of many species and the structure of plant and animal communities. Animal species display a discrete set of generalized responses to time since fire. Systematic field studies and modeling are beginning to reveal how spatial variation in fire regimes (‘pyrodiversity’) at different scales shapes biodiversity. Pyrodiversity includes variation in the extent of post-fire habitats, the diversity of post-fire age-classes and their configuration. At regional scales, a desirable mix of fire histories for biodiversity conservation includes a combination of early, mid and late post-fire age-classes, weighted toward later seral stages that provide critical habitat for threatened species. Biodiversity is also influenced by interactions between fire and other drivers, including land clearing, rainfall, herbivory and predation. Extensive clearing for agriculture has altered the nature and impact of fire, and facilitated invasion by pest species that modify fuels, fire regimes and post-fire recovery. Given the natural and anthropogenic drivers of fire and the consequences of their interactions, we highlight opportunities for conserving mallee ecosystems. These include learning from and fostering Indigenous knowledge of fire, implementing actions that consider synergies between fire and other processes, and strategic monitoring of fire, biodiversity and other drivers to guide place-based, adaptive management under climate change.
Collapse
|
13
|
Geary WL, Buchan A, Allen T, Attard D, Bruce MJ, Collins L, Ecker TE, Fairman TA, Hollings T, Loeffler E, Muscatello A, Parkes D, Thomson J, White M, Kelly E. Responding to the biodiversity impacts of a megafire: A case study from south‐eastern Australia’s Black Summer. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- William L. Geary
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong Vic. Australia
| | - Anne Buchan
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Teigan Allen
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - David Attard
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Matthew J. Bruce
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Heidelberg Vic. Australia
| | - Luke Collins
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Heidelberg Vic. Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
| | - Tiarne E. Ecker
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Thomas A. Fairman
- Forests, Fire and Regions Group Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Tracey Hollings
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Heidelberg Vic. Australia
| | - Ella Loeffler
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Angela Muscatello
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - David Parkes
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Jim Thomson
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Heidelberg Vic. Australia
| | - Matt White
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Heidelberg Vic. Australia
| | - Ella Kelly
- Biodiversity Strategy and Knowledge Branch Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning East Melbourne Vic. Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kelly LT, Giljohann KM, Duane A, Aquilué N, Archibald S, Batllori E, Bennett AF, Buckland ST, Canelles Q, Clarke MF, Fortin MJ, Hermoso V, Herrando S, Keane RE, Lake FK, McCarthy MA, Morán-Ordóñez A, Parr CL, Pausas JG, Penman TD, Regos A, Rumpff L, Santos JL, Smith AL, Syphard AD, Tingley MW, Brotons L. Fire and biodiversity in the Anthropocene. Science 2021; 370:370/6519/eabb0355. [PMID: 33214246 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb0355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Fire has been a source of global biodiversity for millions of years. However, interactions with anthropogenic drivers such as climate change, land use, and invasive species are changing the nature of fire activity and its impacts. We review how such changes are threatening species with extinction and transforming terrestrial ecosystems. Conservation of Earth's biological diversity will be achieved only by recognizing and responding to the critical role of fire. In the Anthropocene, this requires that conservation planning explicitly includes the combined effects of human activities and fire regimes. Improved forecasts for biodiversity must also integrate the connections among people, fire, and ecosystems. Such integration provides an opportunity for new actions that could revolutionize how society sustains biodiversity in a time of changing fire activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke T Kelly
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | | | - Andrea Duane
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain
| | - Núria Aquilué
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain.,Centre d'Étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Sally Archibald
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Natural Resources and the Environment, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Enric Batllori
- CREAF, Edifici C. Autonomous, University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrew F Bennett
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Stephen T Buckland
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - Quim Canelles
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain
| | - Michael F Clarke
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Marie-Josée Fortin
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada
| | | | - Sergi Herrando
- Catalan Ornithological Institute, Natural History Museum of Barcelona, 08019 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Robert E Keane
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT 59808, USA
| | - Frank K Lake
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, CA 94710, USA
| | - Michael A McCarthy
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | | | - Catherine L Parr
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Earth, Ocean & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE-CSIC), 46113 Montcada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Trent D Penman
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Adrián Regos
- Departamento de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Fisica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,CIBIO/InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, ECOCHANGE Group, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Libby Rumpff
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Julianna L Santos
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Annabel L Smith
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Australia.,Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Alexandra D Syphard
- Vertus Wildfire, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA.,San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.,Conservation Biology Institute, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Morgan W Tingley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lluís Brotons
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain.,CREAF, Edifici C. Autonomous, University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.,Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Geary WL, Hradsky BA, Robley A, Wintle BA. Predators, fire or resources: What drives the distribution of herbivores in fragmented mesic forests? AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William L. Geary
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
- Biodiversity Division Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning East Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus) Deakin University Geelong Victoria Australia
| | - Bronwyn A. Hradsky
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Alan Robley
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Heidelberg Victoria Australia
| | - Brendan A. Wintle
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| |
Collapse
|