Anatomy of a post-wildfire recovery: Responses of mammals to a Black Summer wildfire in a fox-free landscape

Ross L. Goldingay

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122205

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Anatomy of a post-wildfire recovery: Responses of mammals to a Black Summer wildfire in a fox-free landscape

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Anatomy of a post-wildfire recovery: Responses of mammals to a Black Summer wildfire in a fox-free landscape

Ross L. Goldingay

Forest ecology and management, Vol.569, 122205

01/10/2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122205

Appears in Recent Faculty of Science and Engineering Publications

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Abstract

Climate refuge

Gibraltar Range National park

Long-nosed potoroo

Parma wallaby

Spotted-tailed quoll

Wildfire refuge

Wildfires are predicted to increase in frequency and severity with climate change. Devising effective strategies to ensure wildfires do not hasten a decline in wildlife populations hinges on developing a deeper understanding of how species are affected by recent wildfires. I investigated the response of eight species of medium-sized mammals over a 4-year period (2020–2023) following a wildfire in the Australian Black Summer fire season. Pre-wildfire population levels were not known. These species differed in their ability to survive the passage of fire; from being able to flee the fire front, to remaining in protective shelters, to favouring unburnt forest types, to none of these strategies. Camera trapping was conducted from 5 months to 4 years after the fire across 62 sites in wet and dry sclerophyll forest (burnt and unburnt) and rainforest (unburnt) to characterise both initial survival and subsequent reproduction-led post-fire occupancy. There was consistency in the response of species in year 1. Those assumed to be able to flee the fires showed medium-high post-fire occupancy regardless of whether a site was burnt. Those that use protective shelters and unburnt forest also showed high occupancy. One species without these options showed greatly reduced occupancy in year 1 relative to years 3 and 4. Most species showed evidence of increased detection across years, which is inferred to reflect increased abundance, and was expected given substantially above average rainfall for three years following the fire. The feral cat was the only predator sufficiently widespread to be of concern in species’ recovery but was rarely detected in years 1 and 2, relative to years 3 and 4. This study provides evidence that many species, including three threatened species, have the ability to survive the passage of fire, and show high post-fire occupancy. The study landscape contained abundant habitat elements (unburnt rainforest, boulder fields) that promote survival through a wildfire and post-fire recovery, providing insights to guide future conservation actions.

Details

Title: Anatomy of a post-wildfire recovery: Responses of mammals to a Black Summer wildfire in a fox-free landscape
Creators: Ross L. Goldingay - Southern Cross University
Publication Details: Forest ecology and management, Vol.569, 122205
Publisher: Elsevier B.V
Grant note: Regional Bushfire Recovery for Multiregional Species and Strategic Projects Program from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment of the Australian Government: MSSPI000022
I thank Jonathan Parkyn, Dusty McLean, Darren McHugh and Lachlan Cooper for assistance with field work. I thank Koen Dijkstra from the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service for facilitating reserve access for this project. I thank Dusty McLean for producing Fig. 1. This project was conducted under approvals 20/29, 21/23, 22/15, 23/14 from the Southern Cross University Animal Ethics Committee and Sci-entific Licence SL100330. Partial funding for this research was provided by a Regional Bushfire Recovery for Multiregional Species and Strategic Projects Program grant (MSSPI000022) from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment of the Australian Government. This paper has been greatly improved by the comments of two anonymous referees.
Identifiers: 991013215412302368
Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Anatomy of a post-wildfire recovery: Responses of mammals to a Black Summer wildfire in a fox-free landscape

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