scholarly journals Short-term impact of a mega-fire on small mammal communities during prolonged drought

2012 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Stevens ◽  
John White ◽  
Raylene Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Significant Life ◽  
The Impact

Increased size, severity and frequency of wildfire is predicted as a consequence of prolonged droughts associated with climate change. In south-eastern Australia severe landscape-scale wildfires (mega-fires) have elicited a strong anthropocentric response due to the significant life and property impacts. However, the impact of mega-fires on fauna, habitat and subsequent management actions are poorly understood. Small mammals were surveyed to examine mega-fire impact using the post-2006 wildfire landscape of the Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia. Long-term research sites were established with 9620 trap nights completed in autumn 2008 across thirty-six sampling units. Vegetation structure, floristics, fire severity, patch size and overall fuel hazard were measured to investigate correlations with changes in small mammal abundance.Two years post-wildfire, rapid resurgence of house mouse (Mus musculus) was detected, conversely the abundance of native small mammal species was severely impacted. No sampling category within the burnt perimeter provided superior refuge presenting potential conservation implications. A habitat vacancy model is introduced where small mammal recolonisation post-wildfire depends on a lack of isolation and connectivity of populations. Floristic and structural contributions of vegetation to higher overall fuel hazard areas are essential in maintaining diverse fauna assemblages. As such, prescribed burning or fire suppression tactics such as ‘patching out’ or ‘burning out’ require consideration when contributing to further reduction of complex habitat patches following fires.

scholarly journals Comparative genetic structure reflects underlying life histories of three sympatric small mammal species in continuous forest of south-eastern Australia

Oikos ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (11) ◽  
pp. 1819-1830 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. L. Kraaijeveld-Smit ◽  
D. B. Lindenmayer ◽  
A. C. Taylor ◽  
C. MacGregor ◽  
B. Wertheim
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Continuous Forest ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The extraordinary 2019/20 Australian bushfire season: contributing processes and environmental impacts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert van Dijk ◽  
Marta Yebra
Keyword(s):  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Ability To Regenerate ◽  
History Of

<p>The recent Australian summer witnessed bushfire at a scale that is without historical precedent. We analysed the scale and severity of the fires, the main processes contributing to their scale, and environmental consequences that have already become apparent.  We did this by combining satellite-derived information of vegetation cover, biomass and history, of soil and vegetation moisture content, and of fire extent and severity. More than 80,000 km2 was burnt, much of it native forest. Fire severity varied, but was overall greater than in preceding years. A critical factor contributing to fire conditions was a multi-year drought in Eastern Australia, which culminated in 2019 with the hottest and driest year in more than a century. During the fire season, fire danger conditions were further exacerbated by oceanic modes in the Indian and Southern Oceans, which limited circulation and caused excessive heating of the Australian land mass. Fuel availability in forests was unusually high. Reasons for this were several, including afforestation and regrowth as well as effective fire suppression in preceding years, while a contributing role for CO<sub>2</sub> fertilisation is also plausible. Combined with the drought and associated vegetation mortality, this created a high and flammable fuel load. The fires strongly affected Australia’s total living carbon pool, which was already depleted by several years of below-average rainfall. Greenhouse gas releases associated with drought and bushfires are not considered in official emission accounts, but are of comparable magnitude. The smoke emissions also caused direct health impacts, affecting cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra for prolonged periods. Most of the burnt forests are resilient to fire and will regenerate, assuming rainfall conditions improve. The severity, scale and connectedness of some of the fire complexes suggest ecological recolonization may be very slow, while a number of threatened species may not recover. Perhaps most concerning, some of the forests affected had burnt only years before, whereas other areas contained vegetation communities not experiencing fire for centuries, raising questions about their ability to regenerate and possibly permanent ecological regime shifts.</p>

scholarly journals Rapidly mapping fire effects on biodiversity at a large-scale using citizen science

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey Kirchhoff ◽  
Corey Thomas Callaghan ◽  
David A. Keith ◽  
Dony Indiarto ◽  
Guy Taseski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Large Scale Disturbance ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Citizen Science Project

The unprecedented scale of the 2019-2020 eastern Australian bushfires exemplifies the challenges that scientists and conservation biologists face monitoring the effects of biodiversity in the aftermath of large-scale environmental disturbances. After a large-scale disturbance there are conservation policy and management actions that need to be both timely and informed by data. By working with the public, often widely spread out over such disturbed areas, citizen science offers a unique opportunity to collect data on biodiversity responses at the appropriate scale. We detail a citizen science project, hosted through iNaturalist, launched shortly after the 2019-2020 bushfire season in eastern Australia. It rapidly (1) provided accurate data on fire severity, relevant to future recovery; and (2) delivered data on a wide range (mosses to mammals) of biodiversity responses at a scale that matched the geographic extent of these fires.

scholarly journals Social and Ecological Dimensions of Urban Conservation Grasslands and Their Management through Prescribed Burning and Woody Vegetation Removal

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Farrar ◽  
Dave Kendal ◽  
Kathryn J. H. Williams ◽  
Ben J. Zeeman
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Woody Vegetation ◽  
Woody Plant Encroachment ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Grassland Conservation ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Eastern Australia

Natural grasslands are threatened globally. In south-eastern Australia, remnants of critically endangered natural grasslands are increasingly being isolated in urban areas. Urbanisation has led to reduced fire frequency and woody plant encroachment in some patches. Grasslands are currently being managed under the assumption that desirable management actions to address these threats (prescribed burning and removing woody vegetation) (1) lead to improved conservation outcomes and (2) are restricted by negative public attitudes. In this study, we tested these two assumptions in the context of native grassland conservation reserves in Melbourne, Australia. Firstly, we investigated differences in species and functional trait composition between patches that had been recently burnt, patches that were unburnt and patches subject to woody vegetation encroachment. We found that the functional traits of species converged in areas subject to woody plant encroachment and areas frequently disturbed by fire. Burning promoted native species, and patches of woody plants supressed the dominant grass, providing a wider range of habitat conditions. Secondly, we surveyed 477 residents living adjacent to these grassland conservation reserves to measure values, beliefs and attitudes and the acceptance of prescribed burning and removing woody vegetation. We found conflict in people’s attitudes to grasslands, with both strongly positive and strongly negative attitudes expressed. The majority of residents found prescribed burning an acceptable management practice (contrary to expectations) and removing trees and shrubs from grasslands to be unacceptable. Both cognitive factors (values and beliefs) and landscape features were important in influencing these opinions. This research provides some guidance for managing urban grassland reserves as a social–ecological system, showing that ecological management, community education and engagement and landscape design features can be integrated to influence social and ecological outcomes.

Small-mammal species richness and abundance along a tropical altitudinal gradient: an Australian example

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke L. Bateman ◽  
Alex S. Kutt ◽  
Eric P. Vanderduys ◽  
Jeanette E. Kemp
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Lower Productivity ◽  
Habitat Factors ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Small Mammal Species

Abstract:This study examined patterns in the species richness and abundance of small non-volant mammals along a tropical altitudinal gradient in north-eastern Australia. We investigated whether a mid-altitudinal peak in diversity was apparent, and if it occurred, whether it was determined by particular environmental conditions. We sampled a small-mammal assemblage at 17 sites distributed along an altitude-environmental gradient from savanna (350 m) to rain-forest vegetation (1000 m). Over four separate occasions (5100 trap-nights) we recorded 17 species of mammal with 416 captures. A positive non-linear relationship between altitude and mammal species richness and abundance was observed, peaking at the 800–900 m range. Many species were distributed across a range of altitudes, while others were strongly associated with particular habitat conditions. There was a distinct reduction in abundance and species richness at low altitudes associated with the less complex vegetation, lower productivity and possible anthropogenic effects. Key findings were: that small-mammal richness peaked towards the summit of the gradient and not at one-half the maximum altitude predicted by the mid-domain effect; contrasting conditions and greatest vegetation juxtaposition had the greatest influence on the patterns recorded; and that local idiosyncratic influences such as habitat factors, land management and historical biogeography are significant.

Habitat utilisation by small mammals in a coastal heathland exhibiting symptoms of Phytophthora cinnamomi infestation

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 639 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Scott Laidlaw ◽  
Barbara A. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Phytophthora Cinnamomi ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Tea Tree ◽  
The Impact

Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil-inhabiting ‘water mould’ that is pathogenic to many native plant species in Australia, and has been shown to alter plant species abundance and richness, as well as the structure of vegetation in sclerophyllous vegetation. This study investigated the effects of P. cinnamomi-induced vegetation disturbance and habitat degradation on microhabitat associations of small mammals in a coastal heathland in southern Australia. Seven small mammal species were trapped in a P. cinnamomi-infested heathland community over four years. Trap stations were classified into three disease classes (non-diseased, active disease and post-disease) and structural and floristic aspects of the vegetation were recorded at each station. The mean number of species captured was greatest in non-diseased areas and least in post-disease areas. The total capture frequency of small mammals was lower in post-disease areas except where they were covered by thick stands of tall tea-tree (Leptospermum sp.). Combined small mammal captures were associated with thick vegetation and floristic factors. Captures of Antechinus agilis, Rattus fuscipes, Rattus lutreolus and Sminthopsis leucopus were greatest in non-diseased vegetation and were less frequent in areas of diseased vegetation. A. agilis and R. fuscipes captures were correlated with a floristic factor associated with non-diseased vegetation, while R. lutreolus was associated with structural factors, preferring thick vegetation. The impact on Cercartetus nanus and Isoodon obesulus could not be assessed owing to low captures of these species. Modification of vegetation structure and floristics associated with P. cinnamomi infestation is having a significant impact on the habitat utilised by the small mammal communities in the area. This impact highlights the need to identify and protect those areas that remain free of P. cinnamomi infestation. Continued spread of the pathogen will reduce the area of suitable small-mammal habitat able to support the diverse communities of the eastern Otway Ranges, Victoria, Australia.

Small-mammal responses to peat mining of southeastern Canadian bogs

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc J Mazerolle ◽  
Bruno Drolet ◽  
André Desrochers
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Peat Mining ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Small Mammal Species ◽  
Peat Industry ◽  
Different Levels

Bogs, or ombrotrophic peatlands, are well represented in parts of southeastern Canada but are subjected to increasing pressure from the peat industry. We assessed the impact of peat mining on small mammals inhabiting unexploited bog fragments on the periphery of mined bogs. We conducted two separate studies in bogs mined to different levels (0-83%) in southeastern Québec and New Brunswick. The first study used a low sampling effort over 1 month in 26 bogs, while the second used a high sampling effort of 6 months spread across 2 years in 12 bogs. Of the 15 small-mammal species encountered, only 2 were bog specialists. Abundance and species richness of small mammals in bog fragments increased significantly with percentage of area mined and, in some cases, increased with bog area. Both studies suggest that disturbances resulting from peat mining facilitate the invasion of more generalized small-mammal species. Furthermore, small mammals were more abundant near forest or mined edges than at bog centers, and some species responded strongly to vegetation cover. The response of small mammals to peat mining contrasts with the one documented for birds, amphibians, and plants.

Chasing the phantom: biogeography and conservation of Vipera latastei-monticola in the Maghreb (North Africa)

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inês Freitas ◽  
Soumia Fahd ◽  
Guillermo Velo-Antón ◽  
Fernando Martínez-Freiría
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Habitat Transformation ◽  
Mountain Ranges ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Suitable Space ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The Maghreb region (North Africa) constitutes a major component of the Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspot. During the last centuries, a consistent human population growth has led to an unprecedented rate of habitat transformation and loss in the region and thus, threatening its biodiversity. The Western Mediterranean viper Vipera latastei-monticola inhabits humid and subhumid areas in the main mountain ranges of the Maghreb, facing such threatening factors; however, its elusive character and rarity hindered data collection for distinct biological purposes. Here, we study the biogeographical patterns and conservation status of the Maghrebian V. latastei-monticola resulting from recent sampling campaigns in Morocco and Tunisia. We update species distribution, and integrate phylogeographic and ecological niche modelling analyses at both species and lineage level to identify suitable areas, and to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic transformation and level of protection of their suitable space. We identified four highly divergent mitochondrial lineages, including a new lineage endemic to the Western High Atlas, with allopatric distributions and restricted to mountain ranges, supporting the role of mountains as past climatic refugia. Despite the remoteness of suitable areas, we report widespread habitat degradation and identify the low effectiveness of the current protected areas system in preserving the species and lineages range. Our study shows the urgent need to apply management actions for the long-term conservation of this vulnerable species and suggests a revaluation of the specific status of V. monticola, as these populations likely represent an ecotype of V. latastei.

scholarly journals Crisis Management in Higher Education in the Time of Covid-19: The Case of Actor Training

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Anna McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Actor Training ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
High Frequency Words

The impact of Covid-19 placed Higher Education leadership in a state of crisis management, where decision making had to be swift and impactful. This research draws on ethea of mindfulness, actor training techniques, referencing high-reliability organisations (HRO). Interviews conducted by the author with three leaders of actor training conservatoires in Higher Education institutions in Australia, the UK and the USA reflect on crisis management actions taken in response to the impact of Covid-19 on their sector, from which high-frequency words are identified and grouped thematically. Reflecting on these high-frequency words and the thematic grouping, a model of mindful leadership is proposed as a positive tool that may enable those in leadership to recognise and respond efficiently to wider structural frailties within Higher Education, with reference to the capacity of leaders to operate with increased mindfulness, enabling a more resilient organisation that unlocks the locus of control.

scholarly journals Urban Fire Severity and Vegetation Dynamics in Southern California

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Lauren E. H. Mathews ◽  
Alicia M. Kinoshita
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Satellite Image ◽  
Burn Severity ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Riparian Areas ◽  
The Impact

A combination of satellite image indices and in-field observations was used to investigate the impact of fuel conditions, fire behavior, and vegetation regrowth patterns, altered by invasive riparian vegetation. Satellite image metrics, differenced normalized burn severity (dNBR) and differenced normalized difference vegetation index (dNDVI), were approximated for non-native, riparian, or upland vegetation for traditional timeframes (0-, 1-, and 3-years) after eleven urban fires across a spectrum of invasive vegetation cover. Larger burn severity and loss of green canopy (NDVI) was detected for riparian areas compared to the uplands. The presence of invasive vegetation affected the distribution of burn severity and canopy loss detected within each fire. Fires with native vegetation cover had a higher severity and resulted in larger immediate loss of canopy than fires with substantial amounts of non-native vegetation. The lower burn severity observed 1–3 years after the fires with non-native vegetation suggests a rapid regrowth of non-native grasses, resulting in a smaller measured canopy loss relative to native vegetation immediately after fire. This observed fire pattern favors the life cycle and perpetuation of many opportunistic grasses within urban riparian areas. This research builds upon our current knowledge of wildfire recovery processes and highlights the unique challenges of remotely assessing vegetation biophysical status within urban Mediterranean riverine systems.

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