scholarly journals Post-fire recovery of eastern bristlebirds (Dasyornis brachypterus) is context-dependent

2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Bain ◽  
J. R. Baker ◽  
K. O. French ◽  
R. J. Whelan
Keyword(s):  
Fire Management ◽  
New South ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Context Dependent ◽  
Burnt Areas ◽  
In Fire

In late December 2003, a wildfire in the Jervis Bay region of New South Wales burned through an area that previously supported a large population of the endangered eastern bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus). The eastern bristlebird has been described as fire-sensitive, and fire is implicated in the decline of the species. The frequency of occurrence of bristlebirds was investigated in the second week after the fire in a range of sites varying in fire intensity. Bristlebirds were found in burned habitats but were less common in the sites that were more intensely burnt. Bristlebirds had been surveyed along transects in this area two months before this fire and were surveyed again 1, 9 and 13 months after the fire. Compared with prefire numbers, bristlebird numbers decreased in burnt areas after the fire and increased in unburnt areas. This pattern was evident for up to nine months after the fire, after which bristlebird numbers returned towards prefire levels in both burnt and unburnt vegetation. This is in contrast to some previous research on bristlebirds and fire. We suggest that bristlebirds avoided the fire by moving to unburnt areas and returned later when conditions were more suitable. We consider that the apparently slight impact of this fire on bristlebirds was due to the close proximity of unburnt habitat and other refuges. The response of bristlebirds and presumably other birds to fire is likely to be strongly context-dependent, so fire management may be able to be designed so as to be compatible with the conservation of local bristlebird populations.

scholarly journals An assessment of the implementation and outcomes of recent changes to fire management in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian W. Van Wilgen ◽  
Navashni Govender ◽  
Sandra MacFadyen
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Target Area ◽  
Large Fires ◽  
Sufficient Degree ◽  
Burnt Areas ◽  
In Fire

This paper reviews recent changes in fire management in the Kruger National Park, and assesses the resulting fire patterns against thresholds of potential concern. In 2002, a lightning-driven approach was replaced by an approach that combined point ignitions with unplanned and lightning fires. The approach aimed to burn an annual target area, determined by rainfall and fuel conditions, in point-ignition fires of different sizes. Most of the original fire-related thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) were incorporated into the new approach. The annual target area to be burnt ranged from 12 to 24% of the park between 2002 and 2006. The total area burnt generally exceeded the targets each year, and management fires accounted for less than half of the total area burnt. The fire regime was dominated by very large fires (> 5 000 ha) which accounted for 77% of the total area burnt. New TPCs were developed to assess whether the fire regime encompassed a sufficient degree of variability, in terms of fire intensity and the spatial distribution of burnt areas. After assessment and adjustment, it appears that these TPCs have not yet been exceeded. The point-ignition approach, and its evaluation in terms of variability and heterogeneity, is based on the untested assumption that a diverse fire regime will promote biodiversity. This assumption needs to be critically assessed. We recommend that the practice of point ignitions be continued, but that greater efforts be made to burn larger areas earlier in the season to reduce large and intense dry-season fires.

Fire Studies in Mallee (Eucalyptus Spp.) Communities of Western New South Wales: Reptile and Beetle Populations in Sites of Differing Fire History.

1997 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 190 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Schlesinger ◽  
JC Noble ◽  
T Weir
Keyword(s):  
Fire History ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
New South ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Faunal Communities ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
A Site ◽  
Burnt Areas ◽  
In Fire

Reptile and terrestrial beetle populations were sampled within adjoining mallee communities of similar botanical composition, but differing in fire history and vegetation structure. Studies were aimed at determining whether there were any major differences between faunal communities in sites with different fire histories. While the number of beetle species captured was significantly higher in the two most recently burnt sites, overall abundance of beetles did not differ significantly between various fire histories. Captures of Carenurn interiove were highest in a site burnt seven years prior to the study whereas captures of Tvichocarenum sp. were most common in the two most recently burnt areas. The number of reptile species captured did not differ significantly between sites but the relative abundance of nocturnal and diurnal reptiles was found to be significantly related to time since last fire. The number of geckos captured at the oldest fire site (burnt 18 years earlier) were significantly fewer than at the more recently burnt sites whereas captures of diurnal lizards did not differ. These patterns of reptile abundance are consistent with those found in other fire studies undertaken in similar habitats. This preliminary study confirms that both reptiles and beetles may be usefully incorporated in future management systems designed to monitor biological diversity in mallee ecosystems. Key words: fire, mallee, porcupine grass, nocturnal and diurnal reptiles and beetles

When, where and why do people encounter Australian brownsnakes (Pseudonaja textilis : Elapidae)?

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 675 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. B. Whitaker ◽  
R. Shine
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
New South ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Experienced Observer ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Species Ecology

Encounters between humans and dangerously venomous snakes put both participants at serious risk, so the determinants of such encounters warrant attention. Pseudonaja textilis is a large fast-moving elapid snake responsible for most snakebite fatalities in Australia. As part of a broad ecological study of this species in agricultural land near Leeton, New South Wales, we set out to identify factors influencing the probability that a human walking in farmland would come into close proximity to a brownsnake. Over a three-year period, we walked regular transects to quantify the number and rate of snake encounters, and the proportion of snakes above ground that could be seen. The rate of encounters depended upon a series of factors, including season, time of day, habitat type, weather conditions (wind and air temperature) and shade (light v. dark) of the observers’ clothing. Interactions between factors were also important: for example, the effect of air temperature on encounter probability differed with season and snake gender, and the effect of the observers’ shade of clothing differed with cloud cover. Remarkably, even a highly-experienced observer actually saw <25% of the telemetrically monitored snakes that were known to be active (i.e. above ground) nearby. This result reflects the snakes’ ability to evade people and to escape detection, even in the flat and sparsely vegetated study area. The proportion of snakes that were visible was influenced by the same kinds of factors as described above. Most of the factors biasing encounter rates are readily interpretable from information on other facets of the species’ ecology, and knowledge of these factors may facilitate safer coexistence between snakes and people.

scholarly journals A survey of rehabilitation services in Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan K Graham ◽  
Ian D Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
New South ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Rehabilitation Services ◽  
Capital Cities ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Nursing Services ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Catchment Areas

A survey, which achieved a 54% response rate, was completed to assess the availability and type of rehabilitation health services in Australia. 1044 surveys were sent out and 561 were returned. The details of a total of 346 rehabilitation services were obtained. There were more services in metropolitan compared with rural areas, more services in New South Wales and Victoria than in the other states, and a higher proportion of services led by health care workers other than rehabilitation physicians in rural compared with metropolitan areas. There is likely to be a need for additional rehabilitation services of all types across Australia. The majority of rural, regional and remote areas are likely to need additional physician-led, allied health and nursing services. Further work is needed to assess the size and catchment areas of services in the capital cities and other large population centres to assess whether additional services are also needed in these areas.

Life under a sandstone overhang: the ecology of the eastern cave bat Vespadelus troughtoni in northern New South Wales.

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Law ◽  
M Chidel ◽  
A Mong
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Radio Tracking ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Air Space ◽  
Forested Areas

We studied the eastern cave bat (Vespadelus troughtoni) in northern New South Wales to provide ecological information on roosts and foraging. Radio-tracking of five bats was supplemented with opportunistic visits to roosts over five years. One male was radio-tracked and its roost was within a corrugated iron roof cavity of a dairy. Maternity roosts were located in the overhangs of large sandstone caves usually containing a dome at the rear. Searches of nearby cliff-lines found that small caves, crevices and overhangs were not used as day-roosts. Nor did any radio-tagged bat roost in tree hollows. Colony size of one tight roosting cluster was estimated as 240 individuals. Radio-tagged bats frequently switched roosts, while opportunistic visits over a five-year period often found caves unoccupied. Most movements between roosts were within 1.5 km, although one female moved about 3.75 km between roosts. One radiotagged female shifted roost to beneath the corrugated iron of a farm-shed that supported at least 50 bats, predominantly females with young. Observations of foraging radio-tagged and lighttagged bats were frequent along a stream lined with trees, but surrounded by cleared paddocks. Foraging was observed in the air space above the creek, interspersed with occasional rapid flights across paddocks (> 500 m). We suggest that a key requirement for V. troughtoni in the rural landscape is the presence of native vegetation in close proximity to roosts, although extensive forested areas may not be required. Education of local communities about the sensitivity of these bats at cave roosts would be an important contribution to their conservation.

Post-fire Germination of Hakea sericea and Petrophile sessilis after Spring Burning

1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliet York ◽  
Robert J. Whelan
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Plant Populations ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Season Of Burning

Land managers are concerned about the season in which fire might be used as amanagement tool, in many ecosystems, yet there are few studies from whichresponses of plant populations might be predicted. Previous studies have beenmostly conducted in highly seasonal, Mediterranean-climate regions and thereis generally little replication of fires within a particular season. Findingsfrom these studies may be of limited value in ecosystems with weakly seasonalor non-seasonal climates, such as in the Sydney region. In this study, firebehaviour was quantified in three replicate fires in Hawkesbury Sandstonevegetation near Wollongong, New South Wales. Fires were conducted in spring1995, and seed germination of two Proteaceae species(Petrophile sessilis Sieber ex Schult. & Schult.f.and Hakea sericea Schrader) was followed for a yearafter fire. Fire intensity and patchiness varied substantially among the threesites, even though the fires occurred within a 2-week period, and the plantcommunities and fuel loads were similar. The timing of germination also varieda great deal among sites, occurring almost immediately after the fire at onesite but being delayed by nearly half a year at the other two. The amount ofgermination (but not the time course of germination) differed between thespecies: up to 70% of Hakea seeds had germinatedby week 44, whereas only around 5% of Petrophileseeds had germinated. There was also a variation in germination, especially ofPetrophile, within each site. It is concluded that, inthe Sydney region, the season of burning may not have a great impact on timingand amount of germination because rainfall is not strongly seasonal. Variationbetween sites and among years may therefore exceed variation between seasonsof burning.

A survey of the regeneration of some problem shrubs and trees after wildfire in western New South Wales.

1979 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Wilson ◽  
WE Mulham
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Establishment ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Natural Fires ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Average Survival ◽  
Cypress Pine

The regeneration of several shrub and tree species in western New South Wales was recorded after widespread natural fires in the summer of 1974175. At 25 locations, plots were established in the wake of the fires and observations were recorded of the rue damage, the regrowth of the plants and post-fire seedling establishment. Interest was centred on species regarded as woody weeds. Fourteen months after the fires, the average survival of seven of the most common species was: Callitris columellaris (white cypress pine) 275, Acac~a aneura (mulga) 16%, Dodonaea attenuafa (narrow-leaved hopbush) 26%, Cassia eremophila var. platvpoda (punty) 48%, Acacia homalophylla (yarran) 87%, Eremophila mitchell~i (budda) 88% and Eremophila sturtii (turpentine) 87%. These results are for plants whose leaves were totally scorched or burnt. For Dodonaea attenuafa and Cassia eremophila there was a large difference in recovery between locations, a difference which was not explicable in term of fire intensity or shrub size. Post-fue seedling establishment occurred with these two shrubs, particularly with D. attenuata, which had high seedling numbers on eight of the eleven locations.

Collapse rates of hollow-bearing trees following low intensity prescription burns in the Pilliga forests, New South Wales

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry Parnaby ◽  
Daniel Lunney ◽  
Ian Shannon ◽  
Mike Fleming
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Entry Point ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Eucalypt Forest ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Burnt Areas ◽  
The Impact

Hollows in trees are recognized as a critical and threatened resource for a wide range of fauna in Australian forests and woodlands, yet little data are available on the impact of fire on hollow-bearing trees. We report an opportunistic, post-fire assessment of the proportion of burnt, hollow-bearing trees that collapsed in stands near roads following low intensity prescription burns in three areas of mixed eucalypt forest in the Pilliga forests. Mean collapse rates on 29 plots (40 by 50m), separated by burn Area, ranged from 14?26% for a total of 329 burnt hollow-bearing trees. Collapse rates on individual plots ranged from 0?50%. Collapsed, hollow-bearing trees were predominantly older, with 40% of senescent trees and 44% of live stags collapsing. The best predictor in models of tree collapse was the presence of a basal fire entry point. We cannot determine the extent to which collapse rates on our plots are representative of burnt areas away from containment roads due to sampling limitations, but they appear to be higher than those reported from wildfire and more intense prescription burns in southern Australia. Our results point to an urgent need for comprehensively designed studies to address the impacts of prescribed burns on hollow-bearing trees.

Demographic characteristics of mallee pine (Callitris verrucosa) in fire-prone mallee communities of central New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 653 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Bradstock ◽  
J. S. Cohn
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Plant Age ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Site Factors ◽  
Feedback Effects ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Seed Crops ◽  
In Fire ◽  
Age Range

Aspects of the demography of Callitris preissii subsp. verrucosa (Cunn. ex. Endl.) J.Garden populations were studied in semi-arid mallee communities situated on sandy soils in central New South Wales. Rates of survival and fecundity were estimated in a range of populations of differing age (year of origin or last fire: 1920, 1957, 1972, 1974 and 1985) that were monitored between 1987 and 1997. Rates of survival of juveniles and adults were high (>0.99 p.a.), although juveniles less than 5 years of age survived at lower rates. Estimated seedbank at the time of first tagging (no. of closed cones per plant) followed an increasing trend with plant age. Density, overstorey, topography and within-age-class site factors had significant effects on stored seedbanks in particular age-classes. There was high interannual variation (1989 v. 1990) in the size of crops of new cones. Trends in seedbank with plant age and seed release rates from tagged cones indicated that the species exhibits strong serotiny. Measurements of litter weight and depth beneath plants from 1920 and 1957 age-classes, indicated relatively low fuel loadings (about 0.2�kg m–2). Bark was sufficiently thick in c. 60-year-old plants to render stems resistant to low-intensity fires. Thus, it is predicted that the probability of propagation of fire in populations >50 years old may decline and that survival of fire in this age range may increase. Given patterns of survivorship, fecundity and seedbank accumulation, populations may decline when fires are relatively frequent (<15-year interval). At longer intervals there is potential for population densities to remain stable or increase, although the nature of variability in sizes of individual seed crops may have a predominant influence on dynamics. The combination of strong serotiny and negative feedback effects of plant populations on their flammability is a paradox, given the likelihood that seedling establishment is tightly keyed to fire.

Group SIze in the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, and the Wallaroo, Macropus robustus

1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 229 ◽  
Author(s):  
RJ Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Grey Kangaroo ◽  
North Eastern

Data were collected on the occurrence of eastern grey kangaroos and wallaroos in groups on two properties (Lana and Newholme) in north-eastern New South Wales. The density of both species was higher on Lana than on Newholme. The frequency of occurrence of groups of different size was significantly different from that expected if the occurrence was random for both species. For the grey kangaroo on Lana, mean group size was smaller during early morning than during the rest of the day. Mean group size was significantly greater on Lana than on Newholme for both species, and smaller for wallaroos than for grey kangaroos on both properties. For both species, mean group size was significantly correlated with the density of kangaroos in each habitat.

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