Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath
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...
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Language: | English |
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2023
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Online Access: | https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/5a9af2d5-9fa8-43bf-9b11-ef61c064632b https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 |
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ftqueensubelpubl:oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:publications/5a9af2d5-9fa8-43bf-9b11-ef61c064632b 2023-11-12T04:15:54+01:00 Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath Reid, Neil Kelly, Ruth Montgomery, W. Ian 2023-08-15 https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/5a9af2d5-9fa8-43bf-9b11-ef61c064632b https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Reid , N , Kelly , R & Montgomery , W I 2023 , ' Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath ' , Bird Study , vol. 70 , no. 3 , pp. 113-126 . https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2309 Nature and Landscape Conservation /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action SDG 13 - Climate Action article 2023 ftqueensubelpubl https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 2023-10-19T22:20:41Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Circus cyaneus Queen's University Belfast Research Portal Bird Study 70 3 113 126 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Queen's University Belfast Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftqueensubelpubl |
language |
English |
topic |
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2309 Nature and Landscape Conservation /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action SDG 13 - Climate Action |
spellingShingle |
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2309 Nature and Landscape Conservation /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action SDG 13 - Climate Action Reid, Neil Kelly, Ruth Montgomery, W. Ian Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
topic_facet |
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics /dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2309 Nature and Landscape Conservation /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action SDG 13 - Climate Action |
description |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Reid, Neil Kelly, Ruth Montgomery, W. Ian |
author_facet |
Reid, Neil Kelly, Ruth Montgomery, W. Ian |
author_sort |
Reid, Neil |
title |
Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
title_short |
Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
title_full |
Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
title_fullStr |
Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
title_sort |
impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/5a9af2d5-9fa8-43bf-9b11-ef61c064632b https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 |
genre |
Circus cyaneus |
genre_facet |
Circus cyaneus |
op_source |
Reid , N , Kelly , R & Montgomery , W I 2023 , ' Impact of wildfires on ecosystems and bird communities on designated areas of blanket bog and heath ' , Bird Study , vol. 70 , no. 3 , pp. 113-126 . https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2023.2240553 |
container_title |
Bird Study |
container_volume |
70 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
113 |
op_container_end_page |
126 |
_version_ |
1782333144188321792 |