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Ecological consequences of Australia's "Black Summer" bushfires: Managing for recovery.
Dickman, Christopher R.
  • Dickman CR; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Integr Environ Assess Manag ; 17(6): 1162-1167, 2021 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1872160
ABSTRACT
Fire has long been a part of the Australian environment and remains a potent force in shaping the adaptations of species, the dynamics of populations, and the structure of ecological communities. However, the fire regime is changing. Fire seasons are longer, wet vegetation types that do not usually burn are now at risk, and fire intensity and severity are greater than in the recent past. A particularly widespread event occurred in the forest and woodland regions of Australia over the summer of 2019-2020. Termed the "Black Summer" bushfires, remotely sensed data indicate that over 30 million hectares of vegetation were burned, including an unprecedented large area of forest. The extraordinary geographical scale of the Black Summer fires, including the intensity and speed of fire spread, has led to widespread concern about the ecological damage that occurred. Recent estimates suggest that almost three billion vertebrates and up to 240 trillion invertebrates were affected by the fires. Fires were experienced in part of the geographical ranges of 832 vertebrate species and 37 threatened ecological communities, with some of these entities feared to be at risk of extinction. Field assessments of ecological recovery have been slowed by COVID-19 restrictions and by a diminution in ecological monitoring capacity that occurred before the last fire season. This paper assesses the dire ecological consequences of the Black Summer bushfires and proposes a series of steps to help achieve recovery of biodiversity and mitigate the effects of future mega-fires. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;171162-1167. © 2021 SETAC.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Fires / COVID-19 Type of study: Prognostic study Limits: Animals / Humans Country/Region as subject: Oceania Language: English Journal: Integr Environ Assess Manag Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Ieam.4496

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Fires / COVID-19 Type of study: Prognostic study Limits: Animals / Humans Country/Region as subject: Oceania Language: English Journal: Integr Environ Assess Manag Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Ieam.4496