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
Y1 - 2020/10
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 - Article
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 -