Short-Term Effects of Fuel Reduction Burning on Populations of Small Terrestrial Mammals

Small mammals (Rattus fuscipes, Mus musculus, Antechinus flavipes, Isoodon obesulus) were livetrapped for 18 months prior to fuel reduction burning (FRB) in dry sclerophyll forest dominated by Eucalyptus obliqua south of Adelaide. Although the fire prescription was hotter than that normally conducted for a FRB in this habitat, the fire was of low intensity, removing most of the litter and understorey but only singeing the canopy in a few places. Trapping continued for 16 months after the burn, when the study site was destroyed by a wildfire (Ash Wednesday, 16 February 1983). No animals were known to have died as a direct result of the FRB and little effect was observed on the population dynamics of A. flavipes. However, numbers of R. fuscipes declined precipitously in the 3 months following the FRB and remained at low levels with no summer recruitment of juveniles over the following 16 months (2 summers) as there had been in the summer prior to the FRB. No movements to unburned areas were recorded in either species after the FRB. There was no influx of M, musculus after the fire and there was no marked affect on the population of I. obesulus.

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The Water Fluxes of Rattus-Fuscipes and Antechinus-Stuartii Before and After a Prescribed Fire

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9890685 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. 685 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

PC Catling ◽

B Green ◽

K Newgrain

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Prescribed Fire ◽

Water Fluxes ◽

Short Term ◽

Low Intensity ◽

Water Influx ◽

Before And After ◽

Antechinus Stuartii ◽

Rattus Fuscipes

We examined the postulate that fires would induce shortages of food and water and would be reflected in changes in water influx and efflux, loss of body weight and body fat, and an increase in mass specific body water in populations of Rattus fuscipes and Antechinus stuartii. A low-intensity, prescribed fire had no effect on any parameter and food supplies appeared adequate for the survivors in the short term. Some parameters differed between sites, sexes and species. The differences observed in male A. stuartii resulted from their unusual life cycle and not from fire.

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Are day-active small mammals rare and small birds abundant in Australian desert environments because small mammals are inferior thermoregulators?

Australian Mammalogy ◽

10.1071/am04117 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 117 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

PC Withers ◽

CE Cooper ◽

WA Buttemer

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Direct Result ◽

Desert Environment ◽

Geographic Scale ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Physiological Capacity ◽

Physiological Adjustments

Small desert birds are typically diurnal and highly mobile (hence conspicuous) whereas small non-volant mammals are generally nocturnal and less mobile (hence inconspicuous). Birds are more mobile than terrestrial mammals on a local and geographic scale, and most desert birds are not endemic but simply move to avoid the extremes of desert conditions. Many small desert mammals are relatively sedentary and regularly use physiological adjustments to cope with their desert environment (e.g., aestivation or hibernation). It seems likely that prey activity patterns and reduced conspicuousness to predators have reinforced nocturnality in small desert mammals. Differences such as nocturnality and mobility simply reflect differing life-history traits of birds and mammals rather than being a direct result of their differences in physiological capacity for tolerating daytime desert conditions.

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Effects of logging and fire on small mammals in Mumbulla State Forest, near Bega, New South Wales

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9870163 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 163 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

D. Lunney ◽

B. Cullis ◽

P. Eby

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Ground Cover ◽

First Year ◽

Severe Effect ◽

South Wales ◽

Antechinus Stuartii ◽

Rattus Fuscipes

This study of the effects of logging on small mammals in Mumbulla State Forest on the south coast of New South Wales included the effects of a fire in November 1980 and a drought throughout the study period from June 1980 to June 1983. Rattus fuscipes was sensitive to change: logging had a significant impact on its numbers, response to ground cover, and recapture rate; fire had a more severe effect, and drought retarded the post-fire recovery of the population. The three species of dasyurid marsupials differed markedly in their response to ground cover, canopy cover, logging and fire. Antechinus stuartii was distributed evenly through all habitats and was not affected by logging, but fire had an immediate and adverse effect which was sustained by the intense drought. A. swainsonii markedly preferred the regenerating forest, and was not seen again after the fire, the failure of the population being attributed to its dependence on dense ground cover. Sminthopsis leucopus was found in low numbers, appeared to prefer forest with sparse ground cover, and showed no immediate response to logging or fire; its disappearance by the third year post-fire suggests that regenerating forest is inimical to the survival of this species. Mus musculus showed no response to logging. In the first year following the fire its numbers were still very low, but in the next year there was a short-lived plague which coincided with the only respite in the 3-year drought and, importantly, occurred in the intensely burnt parts of the forest. The options for managing this forest for the conservation of small mammals include minimising fire, retaining unlogged forest, extending the time over which alternate coupes are logged and minimising disturbance from heavy machinery.

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Dental functional traits of mammals resolve productivity in terrestrial ecosystems past and present

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2012.0211 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 279 (1739) ◽

pp. 2793-2799 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Liping Liu ◽

Kai Puolamäki ◽

Jussi T. Eronen ◽

Majid M. Ataabadi ◽

Elina Hernesniemi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Net Primary Productivity ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽

Functional Trait ◽

Geological Time ◽

Crown Height ◽

Short Term ◽

Functional Interpretation ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Terrestrial Biomes ◽

The Relationship

We have recently shown that rainfall, one of the main climatic determinants of terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP), can be robustly estimated from mean molar tooth crown height (hypsodonty) of mammalian herbivores. Here, we show that another functional trait of herbivore molar surfaces, longitudinal loph count, can be similarly used to extract reasonable estimates of rainfall but also of temperature, the other main climatic determinant of terrestrial NPP. Together, molar height and the number of longitudinal lophs explain 73 per cent of the global variation in terrestrial NPP today and resolve the main terrestrial biomes in bivariate space. We explain the functional interpretation of the relationships between dental function and climate variables in terms of long- and short-term demands. We also show how the spatially and temporally dense fossil record of terrestrial mammals can be used to investigate the relationship between biodiversity and productivity under changing climates in geological time. The placement of the fossil chronofaunas in biome space suggests that they most probably represent multiple palaeobiomes, at least some of which do not correspond directly to any biomes of today's world.

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Powerline Easements: Do They Promote Edge Effects in Eucalypt Forest for Small Mammals?

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr96116 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 737 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Ross L. Goldingay ◽

Robert J. Whelan

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

Edge Effects ◽

Native Species ◽

Vegetative Cover ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Eucalypt Forest ◽

Hair Sampling ◽

South Wales ◽

Antechinus Stuartii

The distribution and abundance of small terrestrial mammals were assessed in forest adjacent to powerline easements at three different sites in New South Wales. At each site, four transects of 300 m length extended into the forest from the edge of the easement. The abundances of two native species (Antechinus stuartii, Rattus fuscipes) did not differ significantly with distance from the easement but abundances differed markedly among sites. Mammals were captured in only one easement where dense vegetation was present. Feral carnivores, which may mediate edge effects on small mammals, were surveyed by using hair-sampling tubes. Cats and dogs were detected only 50–200 m inside the forest. Foxes were not detected by hair-tubes but were observed on two easements. These results suggest that powerline easements may not create edge effects in eucalypt forest for some native mammal species, although further studies are needed to determine the generality of this conclusion. We recommend that easement management should be more benign to native mammals, given the ubiquity of this form of habitat fragmentation. Promotion of dense vegetative cover and habitat linkages within easements could achieve this.

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Population dynamics and net primary production of the aquatic macrophite Nymphaea rudgeana C. F. Mey in a lotic environment of the Itanhaém River basin (SP, Brazil)

Revista Brasileira de Biologia ◽

10.1590/s0034-71082000000100011 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 83-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

A. F. M. CAMARGO ◽

E. R. FLORENTINO

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Primary Production ◽

Aquatic Macrophytes ◽

Aquatic Macrophyte ◽

Net Primary Production ◽

Growth Period ◽

Pistia Stratiotes ◽

Annual Productivity ◽

Lotic Environment ◽

Low Levels

In this paper we evaluated the population dynamics and obtained estimates of the net primary production of the aquatic macrophyte Nymphaea rudgeana in an arm of the Itanhaém River (São Paulo State, Brazil). This species presents, in the studied area, a broad seasonal variation of biomass. As from November (13.1 g DW/m²) we observed a gradual increase of biomass that reached a maximum in February (163.1 g DW/m²). Then, the biomass decreased, maintaining low levels until a new growth period. The reduction of biomass is associated to the development of floating aquatic macrophytes (Pistia stratiotes and Salvinia molesta) and, subsequently to environmental factors (higher salinity values) that are unfavorable to their development. The net primary production of N. rudgeana was estimated from the biomass data, and the annual productivity value was estimated between 3.02 and 3.82 t/ha/year.

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Fire severity and ecosystem resilience – lessons from the Wombat Fire Effects Study (1984-2003)

Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ◽

10.1071/rs12030 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 124 (1) ◽

pp. 30

Author(s):

Kevin G. Tolhurst

Keyword(s):

Prescribed Fire ◽

Fire Severity ◽

Fire Effects ◽

Royal Commission ◽

Mixed Species ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Low Intensity ◽

Eucalypt Forest ◽

Fire Characteristics ◽

Understorey Plants

The Wombat Fire Effects Study was established to address a number of questions in relation to the effects of repeated low-intensity fires in mixed species eucalypt forest in the foothills of Victoria. This study has now been going for 25 years and has included the study of understorey plants, fuels, bats, terrestrial mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, fungi, birds, soils, tree growth, fire behaviour and weather. This forest system has shown a high resilience to fire that is attributed here to the patchiness and variability in the fire characteristics within a fire and the relatively small proportion of the landscape being affected. A means of comparing the level of “injury” caused by low-intensity prescribed fire with high intensity wildfire is proposed so that the debate about leverage benefits (the reduction in wildfire area compared to the area of planned burning) can be more rational. There are some significant implications for assessing the relative environmental impacts of wildfire compared with the planned burning program being implemented in Victoria since the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission recommendations (Teague et al. 2010).

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Post-Wildfire Logging Hinders Regeneration and Increases Fire Risk

Science ◽

10.1126/science.1122855 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 311 (5759) ◽

pp. 352-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 191

Author(s):

D. C. Donato ◽

J. B. Fontaine ◽

J. L. Campbell ◽

W. D. Robinson ◽

J. B. Kauffman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fire Risk ◽

Fuel Reduction ◽

Short Term ◽

High Severity ◽

Fuel Loads ◽

Conifer Regeneration ◽

Biscuit Fire ◽

Additional Reduction

We present data from a study of early conifer regeneration and fuel loads after the 2002 Biscuit Fire, Oregon, USA, with and without postfire logging. Natural conifer regeneration was abundant after the high-severity fire. Postfire logging reduced median regeneration density by 71%, significantly increased downed woody fuels, and thus increased short-term fire risk. Additional reduction of fuels is necessary for effective mitigation of fire risk. Postfire logging can be counterproductive to the goals of forest regenration and fuel reduction.

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