| Literature DB >> 32690905 |
Michelle Ward1,2, Ayesha I T Tulloch3,4, James Q Radford5,6, Brooke A Williams7,3, April E Reside7,3, Stewart L Macdonald8, Helen J Mayfield7,3, Martine Maron7,3, Hugh P Possingham7,9, Samantha J Vine10, James L O'Connor10, Emily J Massingham7, Aaron C Greenville4, John C Z Woinarski11, Stephen T Garnett11, Mark Lintermans12, Ben C Scheele13, Josie Carwardine14, Dale G Nimmo15, David B Lindenmayer13, Robert M Kooyman16, Jeremy S Simmonds7,3, Laura J Sonter7,3, James E M Watson7,3,17.
Abstract
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.Mesh：
Year: 2020 PMID： 32690905 DOI： 10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Nat Ecol Evol ISSN： 2397-334X Impact factor: 15.460