Search

Ecosystem engineers modify their environment and influence the availability of resources for other organisms. Burrowing species, a subset of allogenic engineers, are gaining recognition as ecological facilitators. Burrows created by these species provide habitat for a diverse array of other organisms. Following disturbances, burrows could also serve as ecological refuges, thereby enhancing ecological resistance to disturbance events. We explored the ecological role of Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) burrows using camera traps in forests of southeastern Australia. We compared animal activity at paired sites with and without burrows, from the same fire severity class and habitat. We examined how animal activity at Common Wombat burrows was affected by the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires in Australia. We predicted that burrows would serve as hotspots for animal activity and as refuges in burned areas. The activity of several species including Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes), Agile Antechinus (Antechinus agilis), Lace Monitor (Varanus varius), Painted Button-quail (Turnix varius), and Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica) increased at sites where Common Wombat burrows were present, while other species avoided burrows. Species that were more active at burrows tended to be smaller mammal and bird species that are vulnerable to predation, whereas species that avoided burrows tended to be larger mammals that might compete with Common Wombat for resources. Species composition differed between sites with and without burrows, and burrow sites had higher native mammal species richness. The association of several species with burrows persisted or strengthened in areas that burned during the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires, suggesting that Common Wombat burrows may act as ecological refuges for animals following severe wildfire. Our findings have relevance for understanding how animals survive, persist, and recover following extreme wildfire events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective environmental legislation that mitigates threats and strengthens protection are critical in arresting the decline of global biodiversity. We used the national listing of an Australian marsupial, the greater glider (Petauroides spp.), vulnerable to extinction under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC), as a case study to evaluate the effectiveness of legislation for protecting threatened species habitat. We quantified the extent of greater glider habitat destroyed (or extensively modified) due to deforestation and logging in Queensland and New South Wales (NSW), and logging in Victoria, 2 years before (2014-2016) and after (2016-2018) EPBC listing. We quantified the extent of greater glider habitat that burned in the 2019-2020 wildfires. Destruction of habitat increased in NSW and Queensland after the species was listed as vulnerable (NSW: 7602 ha/annum c.f. 7945 ha/annum; Qld: 1501 ha/annum c.f. 5919 ha/annum). In Victoria, the amount of habitat logged remained relatively consistent pre- and post-listing (4916.5 ha logged pre-listing c.f. 4758.5 ha logged post-listing). Australia-wide, we estimate that 29% of greater glider habitat burned in the 2019-2020 wildfires. Fire severity was severe or extreme in 37% of greater glider habitat that burnt, suggesting that few gliders would persist in these areas. We demonstrate that since EPBC listing, greater glider habitat destruction and population decline has continued as a result of human activities, both directly (i.e. deforestation and logging) and indirectly (i.e. severe wildfire facilitated by human-induced climate change). We recommend that state and federal protections should be strengthened urgently to better conserve threatened species and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]