The response of reptiles and mammals to fire-driven vegetation succession in semi-arid Triodia-mallee woodlands

Jules E. Farquhar; Wyn Russell; Jesse B. Farquhar; Simon Cook; Ashley R. Olson

doi:10.1071/WF24208

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Contents Vol 34(8)

The response of reptiles and mammals to fire-driven vegetation succession in semi-arid Triodia-mallee woodlands

Jules E. Farquhar

^A ^B ^* , Wyn Russell ^B , Jesse B. Farquhar ^B , Simon Cook ^B ^§ and Ashley R. Olson

^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia.

^B Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University Australia, Gippsland, Vic 3353, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: Jules.Farquhar@monash.edu

International Journal of Wildland Fire 34, WF24208 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF24208

Submitted: 3 December 2024 Accepted: 26 June 2025 Published: 30 July 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of IAWF. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Predicting faunal responses to fire is complex due to regional differences in fire-vegetation dynamics, necessitating locally calibrated studies.

Aims

This study examined the effects of fire-mediated vegetation succession on (1) the richness, diversity and composition of small vertebrate communities and (2) individual species abundance in Triodia-mallee landscapes.

Methods

We sampled small vertebrates across 12 sites at Nanya Station, NSW, Australia, with fire histories spanning 1, 18 and >40 years since the last fire (YSLF).

Key results

531 vertebrates from 39 species were recorded. There was strong evidence that fire history influenced vegetation structure, which shaped reptile community composition and species abundance. Early successional sites (1 YSLF) supported higher abundances of lizards such as Ctenotus regius, Lerista labialis and Lucasium damaeum. These species peaked 1-year post-fire before declining by 18 YSLF. In contrast, the dasyurid Ningaui yvonneae was most abundant 20–40 YSLF, correlating with dense spinifex, and was nearly absent at recently burned sites.

Conclusions

Fire history drives varied successional responses among species, with some benefiting from early post-fire conditions and others requiring mature spinifex habitat.

Implications

Region-specific studies are essential for effective conservation and land management. Long-term research is needed to understand successional dynamics and guide fire management strategies.

Keywords: Community composition, fire management, habitat structure, lizards, mammals, post-fire recovery dynamics, successional response, Triodia-mallee.

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