Wildfires under changing climate, and their environmental and health impacts

Journal of Soils and Sediments, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 8, 2025

Abstract Purpose Extreme weather events including drought, flooding, and wildfires resulting from climate change can impact ecosystems. Various toxic substances are emitted during wildfires, such as particulate matter volatile organic compounds, the frequency intensity of rise with change. This review aims to focus on effects environmental health covering contaminants in soil, aquatic atmospheric environment. Materials methods A thorough literature search was conducted Web Science Core Collections following keywords: “wildfire” OR “volatile compounds” “pollution” “contamination” “terrestrial pollution” “aquatic “atmospheric pollution”. PRISMA flow chart used highlight review's content provide a more synthesis relevant studies. Results discussion studies have shown how wildfire emissions affect public health, although handful information available regarding impacts smoke wildfires. The post-wildfire trace elemental concentrations speciation notably linked plant species, geology, topography. Recent found increased levels nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), dissolved carbon (DOC), suspended solids, water turbidity lakes within wildfire-burnt watersheds. response individual ecosystems depends proximity fire, fire characteristics, fuel fee material burned, effect fundamental drivers quality. Conclusions findings this will encourage strengthen collaboration between scientific community regulatory agencies better understand erratic events, may people animals. Graphical

Language: Английский

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Faunal Responses to Habitat Disturbance: Do the Principles Explaining Responses of Ant Communities Also Apply to Terrestrial Reptiles?

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(3)

Published: March 1, 2025

Disturbance is fundamental to the state and dynamics of biological communities, understanding biotic responses disturbance critical effective biodiversity conservation. However, a predictive how faunal communities respond habitat remains elusive. Recently, conceptual framework centred on openness was developed for ant disturbance. It proposes that driver variation among primary impacts are mediated through functional changes in openness. Like ants, terrestrial reptiles ectotherms therefore especially sensitive disturbance-induced increases because thermal environment. Therefore, might also be expected conform based Here we assess extent which this occurs by combining quantitative analysis recent publications with broader synthesis literature. We found strong support applying reptiles. suggest can strengthened mechanistic traits relation For ectotherms, ecophysiological could particularly important responding disturbance-mediated microclimate, but influences other factors such as food availability predation. Finally, appears highly applicable wider range groups beyond ants

Language: Английский

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Ecological implications of the direct effects of fire on neotropical vertebrates

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 979, P. 179437 - 179437

Published: April 25, 2025

Language: Английский

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After the ‘Black Summer’ fires: Faunal responses to megafire depend on fire severity, proportional area burnt and vegetation type

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 61(1), P. 63 - 75

Published: Nov. 27, 2023

Abstract Climate change and human activities have disrupted historical fire regimes, leading to complex far‐reaching impacts on global ecosystems. Despite extensive research in ecology, studies exploring vertebrate responses megafires, nuanced characteristics, remain limited. We collected camera trap data 3–27 months following Australia's 2019–20 ‘Black Summer’ megafires from 30 burnt sites 10 unburnt sites. Our included 14 animal species/groups, encompassing mammalian predators, small medium‐sized mammals, large herbivores, birds. used generalised additive mixed models assess the influence of time‐since‐the‐fires, burn status, severity, proportional area burnt, vegetation type species' activity. Models that variables were well‐supported for all species. The cover low‐moderate or high‐extreme severity had substantial support five species, particularly which generally showed a preference but at differing severities. disregarding was well supported four At highly burned fox activity peaked shortly after fires while mammal increased more gradually. Vegetation strongly influenced response species fire; particular, wet forest birds preferred areas. Policy implications . document variable short‐ medium‐term range could help guide management interventions. demonstrate are diverse better captured using broader landscape scale variables. found by type. Introduced foxes attracted recently areas, so timely predator control may benefit vulnerable prey Wet sensitive preservation restoration these habitats. Some exploited others high‐severity burns. This suggests will face challenges opportunities future extreme events. emphasise importance multi‐faceted approaches account co‐occurring

Language: Английский

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Constraints of commercially available seed diversity in restoration: Implications for plant functional diversity

Plants People Planet, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 9, 2024

Societal Impact Statement Large quantities of diverse native seeds are required to scale up global restoration efforts. However, it remains unclear for many ecosystems how the diversity available seed in commercial stocks reflects composition where vegetation is being remade. This study highlights existing shortfalls presently use and identifies gaps supply chain while providing a new method optimising species selection given these constraints. work underscores improved collaboration between stakeholders strengthen help remake functionally vegetation. Summary Restoration using frequently implemented restore degraded ecosystems. constraints on germplasm may limit recovery both plant functional diversity. Using dataset availability Australia's major types, we explore variation breadth traits (leaf mass per area, mass, height) markets relative unavailable. data, simulate theoretical mixes derived from two pools: (1) constrained by current market commercially seed, (2) assuming all can be planted; then compare differences (dispersion) as an exercise possible limitations within supply. Seed only 12% Australian (2992 species) immediate purchase. was more trees shrubs than understorey species. Available were average taller, with thicker, longer‐lived leaves unavailable Overall, dispersion lower generated compared those drawn Solutions address so that plantings not rich but also diverse. We develop options: quantifying addressing currently capacity practitioners vegetation; applying trait‐informed species‐selection maximises seed.

Language: Английский

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Forest type modulates mammalian responses to megafires

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: June 12, 2024

Abstract Although considered an evolutionary force responsible for shaping ecosystems and biodiversity, fires’ natural cycle is being altered by human activities, increasing the odds of destructive megafire events. Here, we show that forest type modulates responses terrestrial mammals, from species to assemblage level, a catastrophic in Brazilian Pantanal. We unraveled mammalian richness was higher 1 year after fire passage compared pre-fire condition, which can be attributed habitat modification caused wildfires, attracting herbivores open-area tolerant species. observed changes composition between burned/unburned sites, but no difference or relative abundance. However, partitioning effects burned area proportion per (monospecific vs. polyspecific), detected differential mammals at several levels organization, with pronounced declines abundance monospecific forests. Eighty-six percent presented moderate strong negative on their abundance, overall effect entire assemblage. Wildfires are predicted more frequent climate land use change, if events analogous Pantanal-2020 become recurrent, they might trigger regional beta diversity benefitting

Language: Английский

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Habitat in flames: How climate change will affect fire risk across koala forests

Environmental Technology & Innovation, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 32, P. 103331 - 103331

Published: Aug. 14, 2023

Generate fire susceptibility maps for the present and 2070, to identify threat wildfires pose koalas now under future climate change. Australia. Present 2070. 60 main tree species browsed by koalas. The Decision Tree machine learning algorithm was applied generate a index (a measure of potential given area or region experience wildfires) using dataset conditioning factors, namely: altitude, aspect, rainfall, distance from rivers, roads, forest type, geology, koala presence dietary sources, land use-land cover (LULC), normalized difference vegetation (NDVI), slope, soil, temperature, wind speed. We found general increase in Australian bushfires overall. simulation current conditions indicated that 39.56% total habitat has rating "very high" "high", increasing 44.61% Queensland (QLD) South Australia (SA) are predicted lose greater suitable than other states, due increased incidence wildfires. Output showed 65.24% 89.11% QLD SA, respectively, is projected have "high" rating. Wildfires will increasingly impact populations future. If this iconic vulnerable marsupial be protected, conservation strategies need adapted deal with threat. It crucial strike balance between ensuring habitats not completely destroyed while also allowing rejuvenation regeneration through periodic burns.

Language: Английский

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Do reptile responses to habitat structure and time since fire depend on landscape structure?

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 553, P. 121564 - 121564

Published: Dec. 15, 2023

Land use changes, such as the development of agriculture and plantation forestry, altered fire regimes, are major drivers biodiversity loss worldwide, influencing availability suitable habitat for species. Reptiles sensitive to both these processes they influenced by native vegetation extent structure. While much is known about independent effects land change on species distributions, few studies have investigated potential interactive effects; specifically, whether influence site-scale variables reptiles depends properties surrounding landscape. We sampled at 107 sites in fire-prone heathy woodland, interspersed with forestry south-west Victoria, Australia. responses seven reptile (time since several measures structure) landscape-scale (extent plantations presence pasture within a 3.14 square km area) 1) identify species' depended landscape structure, 2) examine relative time fire, structure abundance. predicted that would vary key variable: amount cover. Further, we be stronger predictors abundance than variables. Generalised linear models, accounting imperfect detection, were used estimate site predictors. For two (Amphibolurus muricatus Liopholis whitii) there was evidence their However, contrary our first prediction, cover not only variable Three (Acritoscincus duperreyi, A. muricatus, Lerista bougainvillii) responded variables, though different scales varied among One (Lampropholis guichenoti) but did respond (Aprasia striolata) Our second strongest abundance, true species, overall, results varied, responding scales. Examining multiple spatial essential conservation management, even low dispersal capacity can occurring large

Language: Английский

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Variable persistence of an iconic arboreal mammal through the Black Summer wildfires

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 570, P. 122224 - 122224

Published: Aug. 22, 2024

Wildfires are predicted to increase in frequency and severity with climate change but detailed understanding of their influence on forest wildlife is lacking for many species. vary extent among landscapes, limiting generalisations about impacts from a single wildfire. We investigated post-wildfire persistence the threatened exudivorous yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) south-eastern Australia. The widespread occurrence wildfires 'Black Summer' 2019–20 enabled populations three landscapes (90–160 km apart) be studied. This species has slow life history (one young per year >1 mature) so post-fire recovery slow. conducted repeat surveys over 3 years each landscape at 25–29 sites that were occupied pre-wildfire. All survey burnt two only 40 % third. estimated declines occupancy 13 %, 66 forest. factors driving variation decline appear combination fire abundance very large (≥80 cm) hollow (i.e. cavity) -bearing trees serve as den sites. implications this study tree-hollow dependent can expected different consequence severity, rainfall deficit logging history. Our suggests importance ensuring conserved across wide geographic gradient, value hollow-bearing rather than simply number any trees.

Language: Английский

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Are species richness and endemism hotspots correlated within a biome? A test case in the fire-impacted subtropical rainforests of Australia

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 19, 2024

Identifying hotspots of particularly rich or localised biodiversity is key strategy for prioritising areas protection and management. However, different measures may lead to the prioritisation conservation. Here we use species distribution modelling spatial analyses map compare Australian subtropical rainforest reptile amphibian diversity identified using three - Alpha Diversity, Weighted Endemism, Corrected Endemism. Spatial patterns frog largely correlate with each other, previous studies in plants other vertebrates, endemism both concentrated montane uplands correlated paleoclimatic stability. However Endemism highlights additional peripheral Short-Range Endemic taxa away from Diversity hotspots, especially poorly known ‘vine-thicket’ habitats mid-east Queensland. overlap burn scars two recent massive fire events show that many these have been impacted, further highlighting as a priority targeted survey conservation assessment.

Language: Английский

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