Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath

IF 0.7 4区生物学 Q3 ORNITHOLOGY

Bird Study Pub Date : 2023-07-03 DOI:10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553

N. Reid, Ruth Kelly, W. Montgomery

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

ABSTRACT Capsule Wildfires on moorland reduced bird species richness and abundance, along with the seedbank and abundance of ground beetles and spiders. The effects were detectable three years after the fires took place. Aims To describe the effects of wildfires during the breeding season on moorland birds, their habitat and ecosystem characteristics, by comparing burnt with adjacent unburnt areas in six designated sites up to three years post-fire. Methods Point counts of birds, vegetation height and cover, soil seedbank and pitfall traps were used to examine differences between areas burnt by wildfires and unburnt areas. Results One year after wildfire, bird species richness was 50% lower and abundance 32% lower on burnt compared to adjacent unburnt areas. Wildfire burnt areas had 80% of the species richness and 94% of the abundance of unburnt areas three years after wildfire. Bird species associated with upland moorland, including European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola, Common Redshank Tringa tetanus and Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, were recorded exclusively in unburnt areas. Wildfire burnt areas were characterized by habitat generalist species and community composition in burnt areas remained distinct from unburnt areas three years after burning. Heather Calluna vulgaris and Erica spp. regenerated to 59% of the height of heather on unburnt areas three years after burning. Compared to unburnt areas, burnt areas had a reduced seedbank (22% lower), and reduced ground beetle (15% lower) and spider abundance (31% lower). Conclusion The immediate impacts of wildfire may differ from managed fires due to their indiscriminate character, where they occur, extent, duration and temperature. Wildfire incidence is likely to increase in cool temperate areas due to climate change and likely to undermine the characteristic features of designated areas. Research should focus on preventing wildfires, reducing their impact and accelerating the recovery of burnt moorland.

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野火对指定覆盖沼泽和荒原区域的生态系统和鸟类群落的影响

摘要:森林火灾降低了鸟类物种的丰富度和丰度，同时也降低了种子库和地甲虫、蜘蛛的丰度。火灾发生三年后，其影响依然可见。目的通过比较六个指定地点的燃烧区和相邻未燃烧区在火灾发生后长达三年的时间内对繁殖季节沼地鸟类的影响，以及它们的栖息地和生态系统特征。方法采用鸟类点计数、植被高度和覆盖度、土壤种子库和陷阱等方法，比较野火烧毁地区与未烧毁地区的差异。结果火灾发生1年后，与相邻未烧毁地区相比，烧毁地区鸟类物种丰富度和丰度分别下降了50%和32%。野火烧毁地区的物种丰富度为未烧毁地区的80%，野火发生3年后的物种丰富度为未烧毁地区的94%。与高地沼地有关的鸟类，包括欧洲石头鸟(stoneechat Saxicola rubicola)、红脚鸟(Common Redshank Tringa tetanus)和母鸡鹞(Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus)，只在未烧毁的地区被记录。野火烧毁区物种分布具有生境通用性，燃烧3年后的群落组成与未烧毁区仍有明显差异。石南花和卡丽卡花在燃烧三年后再生到未燃烧地区石南花的59%的高度。与未烧焦地区相比，烧焦地区的种子库减少了22%，地面甲虫和蜘蛛的丰度减少了15%和31%。结论野火的直接影响在发生地点、范围、持续时间和温度等方面不同于人为控制的火灾。由于气候变化，寒温带地区的野火发生率可能会增加，并可能破坏指定区域的特征。研究应集中在预防野火、减少其影响和加速被烧毁的沼地的恢复上。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Bird Study 生物-鸟类学

CiteScore

1.60

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Bird Study publishes high quality papers relevant to the sphere of interest of the British Trust for Ornithology: broadly defined as field ornithology; especially when related to evidence-based bird conservation. Papers are especially welcome on: patterns of distribution and abundance, movements, habitat preferences, developing field census methods, ringing and other techniques for marking and tracking birds. Bird Study concentrates on birds that occur in the Western Palearctic. This includes research on their biology outside of the Western Palearctic, for example on wintering grounds in Africa. Bird Study also welcomes papers from any part of the world if they are of general interest to the broad areas of investigation outlined above. Bird Study publishes the following types of articles: -Original research papers of any length -Short original research papers (less than 2500 words in length) -Scientific reviews -Forum articles covering general ornithological issues, including non-scientific ones -Short feedback articles that make scientific criticisms of papers published recently in the Journal.