Making choices: prioritising the protection of biodiversity in wildfires

International Journal of Wildland Fire, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 32(7), P. 1031 - 1038

Published: April 26, 2023

Biodiversity is in chronic decline, and extreme events – such as wildfires can add further episodes of acute losses. Fires increasing magnitude will often overwhelm response capacity, decision-makers need to make choices about what protect. Conventionally, prioritise human life then infrastructure biodiversity. Based on shortcomings revealed the 2019–20 Australian wildfires, we propose a series linked steps that be used identify biodiversity assets (including their priority relative other types assets), enhance implement protection through planning practice, strengthen legislation safeguard them.

Language: Английский

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Accounting for the neglected: Invertebrate species and the 2019–2020 Australian megafires

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 31(10), P. 2120 - 2130

Published: May 31, 2022

Abstract Aim Invertebrates make up the vast majority of fauna species but are often overlooked in impact assessment and conservation response. The extent to which 2019–2020 Australian megafires overlapped with range vertebrate has been well documented; consequently, substantial resourcing directed towards their recovery. Here, we attempt document overlap these invertebrate species. In doing so, seek demonstrate that it is possible worthwhile assess effect a catastrophic event on large number poorly known Location Temperate subtropical Australia. Time period 2019–2020. Major taxa invertebrates. Methods We adapted published analytical pathway for distributional fire Overlaps 32,163 were determined using point records polygons. Results found 13,581 had part burnt megafires. Of these, 382 whole burnt, further 405 50–99.9% burnt. Five examples described. Main conclusions Poorly groups biodiversity can be impacted significantly by major disturbance events, such overlooked. This oversight consequences under‐estimating magnitude impacts potential failure direct responses those most need them. Our analysis demonstrates ≥50% nearly 800 taxa, tally far higher than vertebrates (19 taxa). Assessment real (i.e., beyond simply fire) requires more consideration susceptibility and/or post‐fire survey monitoring. justifies response less biased iconic

Language: Английский

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The influence of severe wildfire on a threatened arboreal mammal

Wildlife Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 51(8)

Published: July 26, 2024

Context Fire regimes are changing with ongoing climate change, which is leading to an increase in fire frequency and severity. Australia’s Black Summer wildfires burned >12 million hectares 2019–2020, affecting numerous threatened animal species. One of the species predicted be most impacted was southern greater glider, arboreal, hollow-dependent folivore, endemic eastern eucalypt forests. Aims This study aimed assess how 2019–2020 affected glider abundance resources they depend on Woomargama National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Methods We categorised 32 sites into four severity treatments eight for each treatment: unburned (continuous vegetation); refuges (unburned patches within fire’s perimeter); low-moderate severity; high carried out two spotlight surveys per site using double-observer method, beginning 21 months after fires. also conducted vegetation assessments same transects. To analyse data, we used Generalised Linear Models compare habitat differences based severity, N-mixture models model detectability relation Key results found that depleted several variables including canopy cover number potentially hollow-bearing trees, a resource gliders rely on. Greater decreased all burn categories, greatest decline experienced areas at much lower than outside zone. Conclusions declines following severe wildfire can least partly attributed level loss associated key resources. The contribution direct mortality population remains unknown. Implications conservation will heavily protecting expansive suitable maintaining trees.

Language: Английский

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Troubled waters in the land down under: Pervasive threats and high extinction risks demand urgent conservation actions to protect Australia's native freshwater fishes

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 300, P. 110843 - 110843

Published: Nov. 9, 2024

Language: Английский

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Widespread resilience of animal species, functional diversity, and predator–prey networks to an unprecedented gigafire

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 12, 2024

Abstract Climate change is altering fire regimes globally, leading to an increased incidence of large and severe wildfires, including gigafires (>100,000 ha), that homogenise landscapes. Despite this, our understanding how large, wildfires affect biodiversity at the landscape scale remains limited. We investigated impact a gigafire occurred during unprecedented 2019–20 Australian ‘Black Summer’ on terrestrial fauna. selected 24 study landscapes, each 0.785 km 2 in size, represented gradient extent high severity fire, unburnt vegetation, diversity classes (‘pyrodiversity’). used wildlife cameras survey across quantified species activity, community functional diversity, predator–prey network metrics. Bayesian mixed‐effects models assess influence fire‐induced properties these measures. Most native showed resilience displaying few relationships with or pyrodiversity. Community measures networks were also largely unaffected by properties, although landscapes greater proportion had higher abundance richness introduced animal species. Synthesis applications : prevailing narratives widespread ecological destruction following findings suggest resilience, potentially facilitated evolutionary adaptations animals fire. Interventions aimed helping such recover may not be necessary could instead focus subset are vulnerable While mixed‐severity fires often advocated promote through pyrodiversity, results management efforts might region. Given favours species, invasive severely burnt areas.

Language: Английский

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