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Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Prescribed burning as a conservation tool for management of habitat for threatened species: the quokka, Setonix brachyurus, in the southern forests of Western Australia

Karlene Bain A B D , Adrian Wayne C and Roberta Bencini A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Animal Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

B Python Ecological Services, PO Box 168, Walpole, WA 6398, Australia.

C Department of Parks and Wildlife, Locked Bag 2, Manjimup, WA 6258, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: draconis@wn.com.au

International Journal of Wildland Fire 25(5) 608-617 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF15138
Submitted: 31 July 2015  Accepted: 14 January 2016   Published: 31 March 2016

Abstract

Prescribed burning is frequently advocated as a means of managing habitat for threatened species. We studied effects of fire on the quokka (Setonix brachyurus), a species currently used as a focal species for planning prescribed burns in the southern forests of Western Australia. We examined (i) the recolonisation of burnt areas; (ii) the refuge value of unburnt vegetation; and (iii) fire prediction variables that may help to guide fire planning to achieve desired habitat management outcomes. We hypothesised that fire regimes promoting vegetation structure and patchiness of burnt and unburnt vegetation would result in more rapid recolonisation of burnt areas by quokkas. Occupancy modelling identified the most important variables for recolonisation as retention of vertical vegetation structure and multiple unburnt patches across >20% of the total area. These outcomes were associated with high surface moisture, low soil dryness and slow fire rates of spread. Intense wildfire resulted in complete loss of vegetation structure and a lack of unburnt patches, which contributed to these areas remaining uncolonised. Burning with high moisture differentials, maximising the effectiveness of edaphic barriers to fire, retaining unburnt vegetation and maintaining vegetation structure were found to be important elements of fire regimes in this region.

Additional keywords: colonisation rates, fire regime, mesic habitats, moisture differential, patchiness, vegetation structure.


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