Impact of 2019-2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat

Michelle Ward^{1

2}, Ayesha I T Tulloch^{3

4}, James Q Radford^{5

6}, Brooke A Williams^{7

3}, April E Reside^{7

3}, Stewart L Macdonald⁸, Helen J Mayfield^{7

3}, Martine Maron^{7

3}, Hugh P Possingham^{7

9}, Samantha J Vine¹⁰, James L O'Connor¹⁰, Emily J Massingham⁷, Aaron C Greenville⁴, John C Z Woinarski¹¹, Stephen T Garnett¹¹, Mark Lintermans¹², Ben C Scheele¹³, Josie Carwardine¹⁴, Dale G Nimmo¹⁵, David B Lindenmayer¹³, Robert M Kooyman¹⁶, Jeremy S Simmonds^{7

3}, Laura J Sonter^{7

3}, James E M Watson^{7

3

17}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. michellesarahward1@gmail.com.
² School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. michellesarahward1@gmail.com.
³ School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁶ Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
⁹ The Nature Conservancy, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
¹⁰ Birdlife Australia, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
¹¹ Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
¹² Centre for Applied Water Science, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
¹³ Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
¹⁴ CSIRO, Land and Water, Dutton Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
¹⁵ School of Environmental Science, Institute for Land, Water, and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁶ Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁷ Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, NY, USA.

PMID: 32690905
DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

Impact of 2019-2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat

Michelle Ward et al. Nat Ecol Evol. 2020 Oct.

. 2020 Oct;4(10):1321-1326.

doi: 10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1. Epub 2020 Jul 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. michellesarahward1@gmail.com.
² School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. michellesarahward1@gmail.com.
³ School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁶ Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
⁹ The Nature Conservancy, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
¹⁰ Birdlife Australia, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
¹¹ Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
¹² Centre for Applied Water Science, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
¹³ Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
¹⁴ CSIRO, Land and Water, Dutton Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
¹⁵ School of Environmental Science, Institute for Land, Water, and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁶ Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁷ Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New York, NY, USA.

PMID: 32690905
DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

Abstract

Australia's 2019-2020 mega-fires were exacerbated by drought, anthropogenic climate change and existing land-use management. Here, using a combination of remotely sensed data and species distribution models, we found these fires burnt ~97,000 km² of vegetation across southern and eastern Australia, which is considered habitat for 832 species of native vertebrate fauna. Seventy taxa had a substantial proportion (>30%) of habitat impacted; 21 of these were already listed as threatened with extinction. To avoid further species declines, Australia must urgently reassess the extinction vulnerability of fire-impacted species and assist the recovery of populations in both burnt and unburnt areas. Population recovery requires multipronged strategies aimed at ameliorating current and fire-induced threats, including proactively protecting unburnt habitats.

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References

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Impact of 2019-2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat

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Impact of 2019-2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat

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