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

Michelle Ward; Ayesha I.T. Tulloch; James Q. Radford; Brooke A. Williams; April E. Reside; Stewart L. Macdonald; Helen J. Mayfield; Martine Maron; Hugh P. Possingham; Samantha J. Vine; James L. O’Connor; Emily J. Massingham; Aaron C. Greenville; John C.Z. Woinarski; Stephen T. Garnett; Mark Lintermans; Ben C. Scheele; Josie Carwardine; Dale G. Nimmo; David B. Lindenmayer; Robert M. Kooyman; Jeremy S. Simmonds; Laura J. Sonter; James E.M. Watson

doi:10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

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

Michelle Ward
, Ayesha I.T. Tulloch
, James Q. Radford
, Brooke A. Williams
, April E. Reside
, Stewart L. Macdonald
, Helen J. Mayfield
, Martine Maron
, Hugh P. Possingham
, Samantha J. Vine
, James L. O’Connor
, Emily J. Massingham
, Aaron C. Greenville
, John C.Z. Woinarski
, Stephen T. Garnett
, Mark Lintermans
, Ben C. Scheele
, Josie Carwardine
, Dale G. Nimmo
, David B. Lindenmayer

Robert M. Kooyman, Jeremy S. Simmonds, Laura J. Sonter, James E.M. Watson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

355 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1321-1326
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature Ecology and Evolution
Volume	4
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13 Climate Action
SDG 15 Life on Land

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10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

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Ward, M., Tulloch, A. I. T., Radford, J. Q., Williams, B. A., Reside, A. E., Macdonald, S. L., Mayfield, H. J., Maron, M., Possingham, H. P., Vine, S. J., O’Connor, J. L., Massingham, E. J., Greenville, A. C., Woinarski, J. C. Z., Garnett, S. T., Lintermans, M., Scheele, B. C., Carwardine, J., Nimmo, D. G., ... Watson, J. E. M. (2020). Impact of 2019–2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 4(10), 1321-1326. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

@article{1ad1ba80fb5941989649ecdee3b9fc89,

title = "Impact of 2019–2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat",

abstract = "Australia{\textquoteright}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 \textasciitilde{}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.",

author = "Michelle Ward and Tulloch, \{Ayesha I.T.\} and Radford, \{James Q.\} and Williams, \{Brooke A.\} and Reside, \{April E.\} and Macdonald, \{Stewart L.\} and Mayfield, \{Helen J.\} and Martine Maron and Possingham, \{Hugh P.\} and Vine, \{Samantha J.\} and O{\textquoteright}Connor, \{James L.\} and Massingham, \{Emily J.\} and Greenville, \{Aaron C.\} and Woinarski, \{John C.Z.\} and Garnett, \{Stephen T.\} and Mark Lintermans and Scheele, \{Ben C.\} and Josie Carwardine and Nimmo, \{Dale G.\} and Lindenmayer, \{David B.\} and Kooyman, \{Robert M.\} and Simmonds, \{Jeremy S.\} and Sonter, \{Laura J.\} and Watson, \{James E.M.\}",

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month = oct,

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doi = "10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1",

language = "English",

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Ward, M, Tulloch, AIT, Radford, JQ, Williams, BA, Reside, AE, Macdonald, SL, Mayfield, HJ, Maron, M, Possingham, HP, Vine, SJ, O’Connor, JL, Massingham, EJ, Greenville, AC, Woinarski, JCZ, Garnett, ST, Lintermans, M, Scheele, BC, Carwardine, J, Nimmo, DG, Lindenmayer, DB, Kooyman, RM, Simmonds, JS, Sonter, LJ & Watson, JEM 2020, 'Impact of 2019–2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat', Nature Ecology and Evolution, vol. 4, no. 10, pp. 1321-1326. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of 2019–2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat

AU - Ward, Michelle

AU - Tulloch, Ayesha I.T.

AU - Radford, James Q.

AU - Williams, Brooke A.

AU - Reside, April E.

AU - Macdonald, Stewart L.

AU - Mayfield, Helen J.

AU - Maron, Martine

AU - Possingham, Hugh P.

AU - Vine, Samantha J.

AU - O’Connor, James L.

AU - Massingham, Emily J.

AU - Greenville, Aaron C.

AU - Woinarski, John C.Z.

AU - Garnett, Stephen T.

AU - Lintermans, Mark

AU - Scheele, Ben C.

AU - Carwardine, Josie

AU - Nimmo, Dale G.

AU - Lindenmayer, David B.

AU - Kooyman, Robert M.

AU - Simmonds, Jeremy S.

AU - Sonter, Laura J.

AU - Watson, James E.M.

PY - 2020/10/1

Y1 - 2020/10/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85088265940

U2 - 10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

DO - 10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 32690905

AN - SCOPUS:85088265940

SN - 2397-334X

VL - 4

SP - 1321

EP - 1326

JO - Nature Ecology and Evolution

JF - Nature Ecology and Evolution

IS - 10

ER -

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

Abstract

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