Reduced fire frequency over three decades hastens loss of the grassy forest habitat of an endangered songbird

Stone, Zoë; Maron, Martine; Tasker, Elizabeth

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109570

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Cessation of Indigenous fire management has resulted in the thickening of plants promoted by occasional high-intensity fires, especially wattles, and the encroachment of semi-mesic woody plants into these formerly open landscapes, with succession to rainforest possible (Butler et al, 2014;Stone, 2018;Baker et al, 2020). This trend prevails to the point where open eucalypt forests with a grassy understorey are becoming hard to find (Kington et al, 2021;Stone et al, 2022). Encroachment of woody vegetation into once-grassy landscapes due to loss of Indigenous fire management has been documented across Australia (Stanton et al, 2014;Fletcher et al, 2021;Roberts et al, 2021;Chevis et al, 2022;Mariani et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Frequently Burnt Subtropical Eucalypt Forest Is More Resilient to Wildfire Than Rarely Burnt Forest

Williams¹,

Watson²,

Kington³

et al. 2022

Proc. R. Soc. Qld.

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Open eucalypt forests with a grassy understorey are becoming rare in the volcanic landscapes on the Queensland-New South Wales border, as woody plants thicken with the cessation of regular planned burning. Whether previous planned burning reduced the impact of the 2019 unplanned wildfires on forest condition is debated. We evaluated the role of planned burning on the condition of a subtropical eucalypt forest following a wildfire in 2019. Two years after a wildfire at Mt Lindesay, a section of forest that had been frequently burnt was in better condition than adjacent rarely burnt forest. Specifically, there was significantly greater cover of kangaroo grass and a lower density of tree saplings in frequently burnt forest. The canopy of rarely burnt forest showed more signs of dieback. The pattern of healthier eucalypt forest with frequent burning was observed at other South East Queensland sites, Mt Gillies and Spicer's Gap. These observations suggest long-term frequent burning under mild conditions with good soil moisture maintains grassy eucalypt forest that is resilient to occasional intense wildfires during drought, such as seen in late 2019.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The scarcity of these iconic landscapes is a shame in itself and is also associated with a decline in fauna that use grasses for foraging and shelter (e.g. Stone et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frequently Burnt Subtropical Eucalypt Forest Is More Resilient to Wildfire Than Rarely Burnt Forest

Williams¹,

Watson²,

Kington³

et al. 2022

Proc. R. Soc. Qld.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The scarcity of these iconic landscapes is a shame in itself and is also associated with a decline in fauna that use grasses for foraging and shelter (e.g. Stone et al, 2022). Indigenous fire management in grassy ecosystems generally involved frequent, low-intensity fire, and continues to do so where practised today (Mariani et al, 2022;Steffensen, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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2022

Proc. R. Soc. Qld.

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The Royal Society of Queensland has an honourable history as the senior scientific institution in the state. It was established in 1884, with royal patronage continuing unbroken from 1885. Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young PSM, Governor of Queensland, is the present Patron.The Society seeks to increase respect for intellectual enquiry. It encourages original research and the application of evidence-based methods to policy development and decision making. The Society provides a forum for scientists and lay people to involve themselves in the progress of science in society, with 'science' defined broadly. As a non-partisan, secular, learned group, the Society is committed to the Enlightenment tradition of curiosity-led, knowledge-based enquiry that arguably was born with the Royal Society in London in 1660.The centrepiece activity of the Society is the production of the annual scientific journal Proceedings of The Royal Society of Queensland, supplemented from time to time with Special Issues on specific themes. Proceedings of The Royal Society of QueenslandThe Proceedings publishes original scholarship and investigation in natural history relevant to Queensland, including the biodiversity, conservation, use, management and economic significance of natural resources. All aspects of the natural sciences, including astronomy, geology, hydrology, botany and zoology, biomedicine, introduced species and dynamic land and water processes, are considered. The journal will also publish papers on general science, including science-related history, policy, education and philosophy. Papers written from within the social sciences, such as sociology, culture and heritage that deal with the use or management of a natural resource, are welcome.

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“…Without regular burning, the density of woody plants can increase, and kangaroo grass is replaced by less flammable, shade‐tolerant herbs and leaf litter (Baker et al, 2020, 2021; Lunt, 1998; Stone et al, 2022; Watson et al, 2009; Watson & Morris, 2020). Planned burning then becomes more difficult while the soil is moist because leaf litter, herbs and saplings are less combustible but burn intensely once dry (Prior et al, 2017).…”

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confidence: 99%