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Cowan MA, Dunlop JA, Gibson LA, Moore HA, Setterfield SA, Nimmo DG. Movement ecology of an endangered mesopredator in a mining landscape. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:5. [PMID: 38233871 PMCID: PMC10795371 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00439-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter animal movement due to changes in resource availability and threats. Some animals can exploit anthropogenic disturbances for more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient movement due to fragmentation of high-resource habitats, and risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major anthropogenic disturbance, removes natural habitats, introduces new landscape features, and alters resource distribution in the landscape. This study investigates the effect of mining on the movement of an endangered mesopredator, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). Using GPS collars and accelerometers, we investigate their habitat selection and energy expenditure in an active mining landscape, to determine the effects of this disturbance on northern quolls. METHODS We fit northern quolls with GPS collars and accelerometers during breeding and non-breeding season at an active mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We investigated broad-scale movement by calculating the movement ranges of quolls using utilisation distributions at the 95% isopleth, and compared habitat types and environmental characteristics within observed movement ranges to the available landscape. We investigated fine-scale movement by quolls with integrated step selection functions, assessing the relative selection strength for each habitat covariate. Finally, we used piecewise structural equation modelling to analyse the influence of each habitat covariate on northern quoll energy expenditure. RESULTS At the broad scale, northern quolls predominantly used rugged, rocky habitats, and used mining habitats in proportion to their availability. However, at the fine scale, habitat use varied between breeding and non-breeding seasons. During the breeding season, quolls notably avoided mining habitats, whereas in the non-breeding season, they frequented mining habitats equally to rocky and riparian habitats, albeit at a higher energetic cost. CONCLUSION Mining impacts northern quolls by fragmenting favoured rocky habitats, increasing energy expenditure, and potentially impacting breeding dispersal. While mining habitats might offer limited resource opportunities in the non-breeding season, conservation efforts during active mining, including the creation of movement corridors and progressive habitat restoration would likely be useful. However, prioritising the preservation of natural rocky and riparian habitats in mining landscapes is vital for northern quoll conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Cowan
- Gulbali Institute, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, 386 Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona, NSW, 2640, Australia.
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - J A Dunlop
- Gulbali Institute, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, 386 Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona, NSW, 2640, Australia
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - L A Gibson
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 17 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington, WA, 6151, Australia
| | - H A Moore
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 17 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington, WA, 6151, Australia
| | - S A Setterfield
- School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - D G Nimmo
- Gulbali Institute, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, 386 Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona, NSW, 2640, Australia
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2
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Owens G, Heinsohn R, Crates R, Stojanovic D. Long‐term ecological data confirm and refine conservation assessment of critically endangered swift parrots. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Owens
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - R. Heinsohn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - R. Crates
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - D. Stojanovic
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
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3
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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.
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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
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Green DS, Martin ME, Powell RA, McGregor EL, Gabriel MW, Pilgrim KL, Schwartz MK, Matthews SM. Mixed‐severity wildfire and salvage logging affect the populations of a forest‐dependent carnivoran and a competitor. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David S. Green
- Institute for Natural Resources Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Marie E. Martin
- Institute for Natural Resources Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Roger A. Powell
- Department of Applied Ecology North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
| | - Eric L. McGregor
- Institute for Natural Resources Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Mourad W. Gabriel
- USDA Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations Eureka California USA
| | - Kristine L. Pilgrim
- USDA Forest Service National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation Missoula Montana USA
| | - Michael K. Schwartz
- USDA Forest Service National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation Missoula Montana USA
| | - Sean M. Matthews
- Institute for Natural Resources Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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Gigliotti LC, Curveira‐Santos G, Slotow R, Sholto‐Douglas C, Swanepoel LH, Jachowski DS. Community‐level responses of African carnivores to prescribed burning. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Gigliotti
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation Clemson University Clemson South Carolina USA
| | - Gonçalo Curveira‐Santos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Rob Slotow
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
| | | | - Lourens H. Swanepoel
- Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science, Engineering, and Agriculture University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
- African Institute for Conservation Ecology Levubu South Africa
| | - David S. Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation Clemson University Clemson South Carolina USA
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
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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
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7
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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.
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8
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Senior KL, Ramsauer J, McCarthy MA, Kelly LT. The influence of weather and moon phase on small mammal activity. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/am19056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Small mammals are commonly surveyed using live trapping but the influence of weather conditions on trap success is largely unknown. This information is required to design and implement more effective field surveys and monitoring. We tested the influence of weather and moon phase on capture rates of small mammals in the Murray Mallee region of semi-arid Australia. We used extensive pitfall trapping data collected at 267 sites, totalling 54492 trap-nights. We built regression models to explore the relationship between the capture rates of five species and daily meteorological conditions, and across families of mammals, including dasyurids, burramyids and rodents. A relationship common to several taxa was the positive influence of high winds (>20km h−1) on capture rates. We also identified differences between taxa, with warmer overnight temperatures increasing capture rates of mallee ningaui but decreasing those of Bolam’s mouse. This makes it difficult to determine a single set of ‘optimal’ meteorological conditions for surveying the entire community but points to conditions favourable to individual species and groups. We recommend that surveys undertaken in warmer months encompass a variety of meteorological conditions to increase capture rates and provide a representative sample of the small mammal community present in a landscape.
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9
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A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:1459-1471. [PMID: 32929239 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01298-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Applied ecology has traditionally approached management problems through a simplified, single-species lens. Repeated failures of single-species management have led us to a new paradigm - managing at the ecosystem level. Ecosystem management involves a complex array of interacting organisms, processes and scientific disciplines. Accounting for interactions, feedback loops and dependencies between ecosystem components is therefore fundamental to understanding and managing ecosystems. We provide an overview of the main types of ecosystem models and their uses, and discuss challenges related to modelling complex ecological systems. Existing modelling approaches typically attempt to do one or more of the following: describe and disentangle ecosystem components and interactions; make predictions about future ecosystem states; and inform decision making by comparing alternative strategies and identifying important uncertainties. Modelling ecosystems is challenging, particularly when balancing the desire to represent many components of an ecosystem with the limitations of available data and the modelling objective. Explicitly considering different forms of uncertainty is therefore a primary concern. We provide some recommended strategies (such as ensemble ecosystem models and multi-model approaches) to aid the explicit consideration of uncertainty while also meeting the challenges of modelling ecosystems.
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10
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Cisterne A, Crates R, Bell P, Heinsohn R, Stojanovic D. Occupancy patterns of an apex avian predator across a forest landscape. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Cisterne
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Linnaeus Way, Acton Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - Ross Crates
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Linnaeus Way, Acton Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - Phil Bell
- Department of State Growth; Forest Practices Authority; Hobart Tasmania Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Tasmania; Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Rob Heinsohn
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Linnaeus Way, Acton Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - Dejan Stojanovic
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Linnaeus Way, Acton Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
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11
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Wysong ML, Hradsky BA, Iacona GD, Valentine LE, Morris K, Ritchie EG. Space use and habitat selection of an invasive mesopredator and sympatric, native apex predator. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:18. [PMID: 32391154 PMCID: PMC7197163 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00203-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Where mesopredators co-exist with dominant apex predators, an understanding of the factors that influence their habitat and space use can provide insights that help guide wildlife conservation and pest management actions. A predator's habitat use is defined by its home range, which is influenced by its selection or avoidance of habitat features and intra- and inter-specific interactions within the landscape. These are driven by both innate and learned behaviour, operating at different spatial scales. We examined the seasonal home ranges and habitat selection of actively-managed populations of a native apex predator (dingo Canis dingo) and invasive mesopredator (feral cat Felis catus) in semi-arid Western Australia to better understanding their sympatric landscape use, potential interactions, and to help guide their management. METHODS We used kernel density estimates to characterise the seasonal space use of dingoes and feral cats, investigate inter- and intra-species variation in their home range extent and composition, and examine second-order habitat selection for each predator. Further, we used discrete choice modelling and step selection functions to examine the difference in third-order habitat selection across several habitat features. RESULTS The seasonal home ranges of dingoes were on average 19.5 times larger than feral cats. Feral cat seasonal home ranges typically included a larger proportion of grasslands than expected relative to availability in the study site, indicating second-order habitat selection for grasslands. In their fine-scale movements (third-order habitat selection), both predators selected for roads, hydrological features (seasonal intermittent streams, seasonal lakes and wetlands), and high vegetation cover. Dingoes also selected strongly for open woodlands, whereas feral cats used open woodlands and grasslands in proportion to availability. MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Based on these results, and in order to avoid unintended negative ecological consequences (e.g. mesopredator release) that may stem from non-selective predator management, we recommend that feral cat control focuses on techniques such as trapping and shooting that are specific to feral cats in areas where they overlap with apex predators (dingoes), and more general techniques such as poison baiting where they are segregated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L. Wysong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009 Australia
- Present Address: Nyamba Buru Yawuru, 55 Reid road, Cable Beach, WA 6726 Australia
| | - Bronwyn A. Hradsky
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Gwenllian D. Iacona
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Leonie E. Valentine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009 Australia
| | - Keith Morris
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Woodvale, WA 6946 Australia
| | - Euan G. Ritchie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia
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Abstract
Devastation of both natural and human habitats due to wildfires is becoming an increasingly prevalent global issue. Fire-adapted and fire-prone regions, such as California and parts of Australia, are experiencing more frequent and increasingly destructive wildfires, accompanied by longer wildfire seasons. Further, wildfires are becoming more commonplace in areas that historically do not regularly experience fire, causing an increased risk of habitat loss in less resilient ecosystems. The escalation of fire outbreaks is a result of several factors; however, at the forefront of these outbreaks is an increase in highly flammable dry vegetation due to sustained drought, a trend we will see growing in our changing climate. To mitigate the potentially detrimental outcomes of wildfires, it is imperative that we understand the response of ecosystems to fire not only from an ecological perspective, but also from a physiological perspective. Research focused on the physiological adaptations of organisms to environmental constraints caused by fire can give insight into how plants and animals respond to fire, on both short- and long-term scales. Importantly, this information needs to be adapted effectively into fire management plans to improve the recovery success of organisms after fire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Stawski
- Department of Biology, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Anna C Doty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
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13
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Hradsky BA. Conserving Australia’s threatened native mammals in predator-invaded, fire-prone landscapes. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Inappropriate fire regimes and predation by introduced species each pose a major threat to Australia’s native mammals. They also potentially interact, an issue that is likely to be contributing to the ongoing collapse of native mammal communities across Australia. In the present review, I first describe the mechanisms through which fire could create predation pinch points, exacerbating the impacts of predators, including red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, and feral cats, Felis catus, on their native mammalian prey. These mechanisms include a localised increase in predator activity (a numerically mediated pathway) and higher predator hunting success after fire (a functionally moderated pathway), which could both increase native mammal mortality and limit population recovery in fire-affected landscapes. Evidence for such interactions is growing, although largely based on unreplicated experiments. Improving native mammal resilience to fire in predator-invaded landscapes requires addressing two key questions: how can the impacts of introduced predators on native mammals in fire-affected areas be reduced; and, does a reduction in predation by introduced species result in higher native mammal survival and population recovery after fire? I then examine potential management options for reducing predator impacts post-fire. The most feasible are landscape-scale predator control and the manipulation of fire regimes to create patchy fire scars. However, robust field experiments with adequate statistical power are required to assess the effectiveness of these approaches and preclude null (e.g. compensatory mortality) or adverse (e.g. mesopredator or competitor release) outcomes. Ongoing predator management and prescribed burning programs provide an opportunity to learn through replicated natural experiments as well as experimental manipulations. Standardised reporting protocols and cross-jurisdiction monitoring programs would help achieve necessary spatial and environmental replication, while multi-trophic, spatially explicit simulation models could help synthesise findings from disparate study designs, predict management outcomes and generate new hypotheses. Such approaches will be key to improving management of the complex mechanisms that drive threatened native mammal populations in Australia’s predator-invaded, fire-prone landscapes.
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Soyumert A, Ertürk A, Tavşanoğlu Ç. Fire-created habitats support large mammal community in a Mediterranean landscape. MAMMAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-019-00473-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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15
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Geary WL, Doherty TS, Nimmo DG, Tulloch AIT, Ritchie EG. Predator responses to fire: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:955-971. [PMID: 31774550 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of how disturbances such as fire shape habitat structure and composition, and affect animal interactions, is fundamental to ecology and ecosystem management. Predators also exert strong effects on ecological communities, through top-down regulation of prey and competitors, which can result in trophic cascades. Despite their ubiquity, ecological importance and potential to interact with fire, our general understanding of how predators respond to fire remains poor, hampering ecosystem management. To address this important knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of fire on terrestrial, vertebrate predators world-wide. We found 160 studies spanning 1978-2018. There were 36 studies with sufficient information for meta-analysis, from which we extracted 96 effect sizes (Hedges' g) for 67 predator species relating to changes in abundance indices, occupancy or resource selection in burned and unburned areas, or before and after fire. Studies spanned geographic locations, taxonomic families and study designs, but most were located in North America and Oceania (59% and 24%, respectively), and largely focussed on felids (24%) and canids (25%). Half (50%) of the studies reported responses to wildfire, and nearly one third concerned prescribed (management) fires. There were no clear, general responses of predators to fire, nor relationships with geographic area, biome or life-history traits (e.g. body mass, hunting strategy and diet). Responses varied considerably between species. Analysis of species for which at least three effect sizes had been reported in the literature revealed that red foxes Vulpes vulpes mostly responded positively to fire (e.g. higher abundance in burned compared to unburned areas) and eastern racers Coluber constrictor negatively, with variances overlapping zero only slightly for both species. Our systematic review and meta-analysis revealed strong variation in predator responses to fire, and major geographic and taxonomic knowledge gaps. Varied responses of predator species to fire likely depend on ecosystem context. Consistent reporting of ongoing monitoring and management experiments is required to improve understanding of the mechanisms driving predator responses to fire, and any broader effects (e.g. trophic interactions). The divergent responses of species in our study suggest that adaptive, context-specific management of predator-fire relationships is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- William L Geary
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong/Burwood, Vic., Australia.,Biodiversity Division, Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, East Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Tim S Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong/Burwood, Vic., Australia
| | - Dale G Nimmo
- School of Environmental Science, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | - Ayesha I T Tulloch
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Euan G Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong/Burwood, Vic., Australia
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16
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Wang B, Rocha DG, Abrahams MI, Antunes AP, Costa HCM, Gonçalves ALS, Spironello WR, de Paula MJ, Peres CA, Pezzuti J, Ramalho E, Reis ML, Carvalho Jr E, Rohe F, Macdonald DW, Tan CKW. Habitat use of the ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis) in Brazilian Amazon. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5049-5062. [PMID: 31110661 PMCID: PMC6509378 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amazonia forest plays a major role in providing ecosystem services for human and sanctuaries for wildlife. However, ongoing deforestation and habitat fragmentation in the Brazilian Amazon has threatened both. The ocelot is an ecologically important mesopredator and a potential conservation ambassador species, yet there are no previous studies on its habitat preference and spatial patterns in this biome. From 2010 to 2017, twelve sites were surveyed, totaling 899 camera trap stations, the largest known dataset for this species. Using occupancy modeling incorporating spatial autocorrelation, we assessed habitat use for ocelot populations across the Brazilian Amazon. Our results revealed a positive sigmoidal correlation between remote-sensing derived metrics of forest cover, disjunct core area density, elevation, distance to roads, distance to settlements and habitat use, and that habitat use by ocelots was negatively associated with slope and distance to river/lake. These findings shed light on the regional scale habitat use of ocelots and indicate important species-habitat relationships, thus providing valuable information for conservation management and land-use planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingxin Wang
- Wildlife Conservation Research UnitDepartment of ZoologyThe Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordTubney, OxonUK
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangeInstitute of BotanyThe Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Daniel G. Rocha
- Graduate Group in EcologyDepartment of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of California DavisDavisCalifornia
- Grupo de Ecologia e Conservação de Felinos na AmazôniaInstituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável MamirauáTeféBrazil
| | - Mark I. Abrahams
- Field Conservation and Science DepartmentBristol Zoological SocietyBristolUK
| | - André P. Antunes
- Redefauna - Rede de Pesquisa em BiodiversidadeConservação e Uso da Fauna da AmazôniaManausBrazil
| | - Hugo C. M. Costa
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da BiodiversidadeUniversidade Estadual de Santa CruzIlhéusBrazil
| | | | | | - Milton José de Paula
- Centre for Advanced Amazon StudiesUniversity of ParaAltamiraBrazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em EcologiaUniversidade Federal do Pará e EMBRAPA Amazônia OrientalBelémBrazil
| | - Carlos A. Peres
- School of Environmental ScienceCetre for Ecology, Evolution and ConservationUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Juarez Pezzuti
- Centre for Advanced Amazon StudiesUniversity of ParaAltamiraBrazil
| | | | | | - Elildo Carvalho Jr
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos CarnívorosInstituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da BiodiversidadeAtibaiaBrazil
- Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Fabio Rohe
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva – GCBEvInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia – INPAManausBrazil
- Wildlife Conservation Society Brazil – Amazon ProgramManausBrazil
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research UnitDepartment of ZoologyThe Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordTubney, OxonUK
| | - Cedric Kai Wei Tan
- Wildlife Conservation Research UnitDepartment of ZoologyThe Recanati‐Kaplan CentreUniversity of OxfordTubney, OxonUK
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17
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Nimmo DG, Avitabile S, Banks SC, Bliege Bird R, Callister K, Clarke MF, Dickman CR, Doherty TS, Driscoll DA, Greenville AC, Haslem A, Kelly LT, Kenny SA, Lahoz‐Monfort JJ, Lee C, Leonard S, Moore H, Newsome TM, Parr CL, Ritchie EG, Schneider K, Turner JM, Watson S, Westbrooke M, Wouters M, White M, Bennett AF. Animal movements in fire‐prone landscapes. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 94:981-998. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dale G. Nimmo
- School of Environmental Science Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University Albury New South Wales 2640 Australia
| | - Sarah Avitabile
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Sam C. Banks
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, College of Engineering, IT and the Environment, Charles Darwin University Casuarina Northern Territory 0810 Australia
| | - Rebecca Bliege Bird
- Department of Anthropology Pennsylvania State University University Park PA 16802 U.S.A
| | - Kate Callister
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Michael F. Clarke
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Chris R. Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Tim S. Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood campus), Deakin University Geelong Victoria 3220 Australia
| | - Don A. Driscoll
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood campus), Deakin University Geelong Victoria 3220 Australia
| | - Aaron C. Greenville
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Angie Haslem
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Luke T. Kelly
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Sally A. Kenny
- Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water & Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research 123 Brown St, Heidelberg Victoria 3081 Australia
| | - José J. Lahoz‐Monfort
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Connie Lee
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Centre for Integrative Ecology (Burwood campus), Deakin University Geelong Victoria 3220 Australia
| | - Steven Leonard
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Harry Moore
- School of Environmental Science Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University Albury New South Wales 2640 Australia
| | - Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Catherine L. Parr
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool L69 3GP U.K
- Department of Zoology & Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Wits 2050 South Africa
| | - Euan G. Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | | | - James M. Turner
- School of Environmental Science Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University Albury New South Wales 2640 Australia
| | - Simon Watson
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
| | - Martin Westbrooke
- School of Environmental Science Federation University Ballarat Victoria 3350 Australia
| | - Mike Wouters
- Fire & Flood Management, Department for Environment and Water Adelaide South Australia 5000 Australia
| | - Matthew White
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Andrew F. Bennett
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria 3086 Australia
- Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water & Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research 123 Brown St, Heidelberg Victoria 3081 Australia
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