Mammals and habitat disturbance: the case of brown hare and wildfire

Sokos, Christos; Birtsas, Periklis; Papaspyropoulos, Konstantinos G.; Tsachalidis, Efstathios; Γιαννακόπουλος, Αλέξιος; Milis, Ch.; Spyrou, Vassiliki; Manolakou, Katerina; Valiakos, George; Iakovakis, C.; Athanasiou, Labrini V.; Sfougaris, Athanassios; Billinis, Charalambos

doi:10.1093/cz/zow020

Cited by 12 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Predation pressure on lagomorphs could be low due to the low number of predators, which would account for a low impact on its population size and allowing chilla fox to consume them with frequency across the the seasons. Reports on the demographic fluctuation of hares during inter-annual periods (Wasilewski, 1991;Sokos et al, 2016) makes it necessary to systematically monitor hare populations so as to determine how the trophic response of chilla fox is affected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal variation in the diet of two predators in an agroecosystem in southern–central Chile

Zúñiga

Fuenzalida²,

Sandoval³

et al. 2021

Anim. Biodiv. Conserv.

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In ecosystems, seasonal fluctuations in the availability of resources can promote effects on species with similar trophic requirements, increasing the probability of interspecific competition. This scenario becomes more evident in human–dominated landscapes where homogenization of space can contribute to the shortage of resources, modifying species feeding behavior to an uncertain degree. Understanding how these species modify their feeding habits within the context of habitat transformation is of special interest. We evaluated the diversity of prey and overlap for two predators, the chilla fox Lycalopex griseus and the barn owl Tyto alba, during three seasons in 2018 (winter, spring and summer). The study was based on the analysis of feces and pellets in a landscape with agricultural predominance in Southern–central Chile. We found the chilla fox had a generalist dietary profile, feeding on a broad spectrum of prey, with predominance of lagomorphs and, to a lesser extent, rodents. In contrast, the diet of the barn owl mainly consisted of small rodents, with little variation across seasons. Analyses of dietary overlap showed fluctuations during the periods surveyed, with a maximum value in winter and a minimum value in spring. Variations in the consumption of prey based on their size could facilitate their coexistence in the study area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal variation in the diet of two predators in an agroecosystem in southern–central Chile

Zúñiga

Fuenzalida²,

Sandoval³

et al. 2021

Anim. Biodiv. Conserv.

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“…Finally, the vegetation community is a product of environmental conditions such as elevation, temperature, and annual rainfall [31], as well as long-term fire regimes [32]. References are as follows: 1, Conner et al (2011);2, Cross et al (2015); 3, Clark et al (2014); 4, Gureja and Owen-Smith (2002); 5, Letnic et al (2005); 6, Nimmo et al (2014); 7, Plavsic Barnard (1987); 19, Eby et al (2013);20, McGregor et al (2014);21, Ogen-Odoi and Dilworth (1984); 22, Green and Sanecki (2006); 23, Dawson et al (2007); 24, Sokos et al (2016);25, Bond et al (2009);26, Kelly et al (2011);27, Bradstock et al (2010); 28, Collins et al (2013); 29, Smit et al (2013); 30, Banks et al (2011);31, Begon et al (1996); 32, Bond and Keeley (2005). ❖ www.esajournals.org rainfall) to the wetter, steeper southwest (400-550 m a.s.l; 1300-1600 mm average annual rainfall).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Bayesian networks elucidate interactions between fire and other drivers of terrestrial fauna distributions

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Fire is a major driver of community composition and habitat structure and is extensively used as an ecological management tool in flammable landscapes. Interactions between fire and other processes that affect animal distributions, however, cause variation in faunal responses to fire and limit our ability to identify appropriate fire management regimes for biodiversity conservation. Bayesian networks (BNs) have not previously been used to examine terrestrial faunal distributions in relation to fire, but offer an alternative statistical framework for modeling complex environmental relationships as they explicitly capture interactions between predictor variables. We developed a conceptual model of the interactions between drivers of faunal distributions in fire-affected landscapes, and then used a non-parametric BN modeling approach to describe and quantify these relationships for a suite of terrestrial native mammal species. We also tested whether BNs could be used to predict these species' distributions using only remote-sensed or mapped variables. Data were collected at 113 sites across 47,000 ha of continuous eucalypt forest in the Otway Ranges, southeastern Australia; time-since-fire (TSF) ranged from six months to 74 yr. Habitat complexity increased with TSF and forest wetness. Critical-weight-range (35-5500 g) marsupials and rodents were generally more likely to occur at long unburnt sites with high habitat complexity, and in wetter forest types. In contrast, large grazers and browsers preferred less complex habitats and younger or drier forest. Species occurrences were more strongly affected by habitat complexity than TSF, coarse woody debris cover, or invasive predator (Vulpes vulpes or Felis catus) occurrence. Bayesian network models effectively discriminated between the presence and absence of most native mammal species, even when only provided with data on remote-sensed or mapped variables (i.e., without field-assessed data such as habitat complexity). Non-parametric BNs are an effective technique for explicitly modeling the complex and context-dependent influence of fire history on faunal distributions, and may reduce the need to collect extensive field data on habitat structure and other proximate drivers.

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“…In partial support of this prediction, the activity of medium‐sized mammals decreased with Fire extent. This negative response has been observed in other mammals of similar size and ecological requirements in Europe (e.g., Sokos et al., 2016 ), North America (e.g., Zwolak & Foresman, 2007 ), and elsewhere in Australia (e.g., Robley et al., 2023 ). Hradsky, Mildwaters, et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

How do invasive predators and their native prey respond to prescribed fire?

Watchorn,

Doherty,

Wilson

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Fire shapes animal communities by altering resource availability and species interactions, including between predators and prey. In Australia, there is particular concern that two highly damaging invasive predators, the feral cat (Felis catus) and European red fox (Vulpes vulpes), increase their activity in recently burnt areas and exert greater predation pressure on the native prey due to their increased exposure. We tested how prescribed fire occurrence and extent, along with fire history, vegetation, topography, and distance to anthropogenic features (towns and farms), affected the activity (detection frequency) of cats, foxes, and the native mammal community in south‐eastern Australia. We used camera traps to quantify mammal activity before and after a prescribed burn and statistically tested how the fire interacted with these habitat variables to affect mammal activity. We found little evidence that the prescribed fire influenced the activity of cats and foxes and no evidence of an effect on kangaroo or small mammal (<800 g) activity. Medium‐sized mammals (800–2000 g) were negatively associated with prescribed fire extent, suggesting that prescribed fire has a negative impact on these species in the short term. The lack of a clear activity increase from cats and foxes is likely a positive outcome from a fire management perspective. However, we highlight that their response is likely dependent upon factors like fire size, severity, and prey availability. Future experiments should incorporate GPS‐trackers to record fine‐scale movements of cats and foxes in temperate ecosystems immediately before and after prescribed fire to best inform management within protected areas.

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Mammals and habitat disturbance: the case of brown hare and wildfire

Cited by 12 publications

References 52 publications

Seasonal variation in the diet of two predators in an agroecosystem in southern–central Chile

Seasonal variation in the diet of two predators in an agroecosystem in southern–central Chile

Bayesian networks elucidate interactions between fire and other drivers of terrestrial fauna distributions

How do invasive predators and their native prey respond to prescribed fire?

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