A review of the effects of wildfire smoke on the health and behavior of wildlife

Abstract

Climate change is intensifying global wildfire activity, and people and wildlife are increasingly exposed to hazardous air pollution during large-scale smoke events. Although wildfire smoke is considered a growing risk to public health, few studies have investigated the impacts of wildfire smoke on wildlife, particularly among species that are vulnerable to smoke inhalation. In this review, we synthesized research to date on how wildfire smoke affects the health and behavior of wildlife. After executing a systematic search using Web of Science, we found only 41 relevant studies. We synthesized findings from this literature and incorporated knowledge gained from fields outside wildlife science, specifically veterinary medicine and air pollution toxicology. Although studies that directly investigated effects of smoke on wildlife were few in number, they show that wildfire smoke contributes to adverse acute and chronic health outcomes in wildlife and influences animal behavior. Our review demonstrates that smoke inhalation can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, respiratory distress, neurological impairment, respiratory and cardiovascular disease, oxidative stress, and immunosuppression in wildlife, including terrestrial and aquatic species, and these health effects can contribute to changes in movement and vocalization. Some species also use smoke as a cue to engage in fire-avoidance behaviors or to conserve energy. However, our review also highlights significant gaps in our understanding of the impacts of wildfire smoke on wildlife. Most notably, the lack of robust air pollution measurements in existing studies limits meta-analyses and hinders construction of dose-response relationships, thereby precluding predictions of health outcomes and behaviors under different air quality conditions, especially during extreme smoke events. We recommend that future studies leverage existing data sets, infrastructure, and tools to rapidly advance research on this important conservation topic and highlight the potential value of interdisciplinary collaborations between ecologists and atmospheric chemists.

Systematic Mapping and Review of Landscape Fire Smoke (LFS) Exposure Impacts on Insects

“…Some fire-loving insects complete their reproduction in burning trees during forest fires ( Schmitz et al 2008 ). Usually, plant succession after landscape fires creates habitats for various insects, which causes insect outbreaks ( Sanderfoot et al 2021 ). For instance, the abundant resprouting of host plants after a fire provides a habitat for butterflies, allowing their populations to increase ( Cleary and Grill 2004 ).…”

“…This smoke is composed of a mix of gases and airborne particulates, some of which pose risks to normal biological functioning ( Erb et al 2018 , Vokina et al 2019 , Sanderfoot et al 2021 ). The smoke emissions can affect the air quality locally or even far from the fires ( Einfeld et al 1991 , Ward et al 1992 , Streets et al 2003 , Chen et al 2017 , Cascio 2018 , Wang et al 2020 , Roberts and Wooster 2021 ).…”

“…The smoke emissions can affect the air quality locally or even far from the fires ( Einfeld et al 1991 , Ward et al 1992 , Streets et al 2003 , Chen et al 2017 , Cascio 2018 , Wang et al 2020 , Roberts and Wooster 2021 ). Whilst most research has focused on the effect of this air pollution on human health ( Reid et al 2016 , Roberts and Wooster 2021 , Sanderfoot et al 2021 ), other animals, including insects, may also be affected. Landscape fires emit thousands of kilograms of carbon into the atmosphere every year – predominantly carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH 4 ) ( Jenkins et al 1992 , Andreae and Merlet 2001 , Gupta et al 2004 , Gadde et al 2009 , Van der Werf et al 2010 , Zhang et al 2015 , Li et al 2019 , Ravindra et al 2019 ).…”

Indoor Air Quality Considerations for Laboratory Animals in Wildfire-Impacted Regions—A Pilot Study

“…Whether smoke exposure occurs locally or downstream of a wildfire event, there is a growing body of data indicating that adverse health outcomes are possible in humans [ 48 ] as well as animals [ 49 ]. As an example of human effects, a cohort exposed to an intense and long-duration wildfire smoke event in Seeley Lake, Montana, experienced persistent lung function decrements that were measurable two years following exposure [ 50 ].…”

Integrating sensory ecology and predator‐prey theory to understand animal responses to fire

“…Animals that use olfaction to detect predators (e.g. small mammals, lizards and various insects) also use olfaction to detect smoke (Álvarez‐Ruiz et al, 2021; Doty et al, 2018; Lyon et al, 2000; Mendyk et al, 2020; Nowack et al, 2016; Sanderfoot et al, 2021; Scesny & Robbins, 2006; Simons, 1991; Stawski et al, 2017). Some animals in fire‐prone areas even wake up from sleep when exposed to smoke (e.g.…”