Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Long-Term Effects of Frequent Low-Intensity Burning on the Abundance of Litter-Dwelling Invertebrates in Coastal Blackbutt Forests of Southeastern Australia

  • Published:
Journal of Insect Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Low-intensity fire is extensively used in Australian dry eucalypt forests to reduce fuel levels. The long-term impact of this management practice on terrestrial invertebrates is, however, unknown and is of concern given their contribution to ecosystem function and forest biodiversity. This study found that areas subjected to frequent low-intensity fire had significantly lower numbers of spiders, ticks and mites, pseudoscorpions, woodlice, springtails, bugs, beetles, ants and insect larvae in the leaf litter compared with adjacent unburnt areas. Taxa numbers were between 41 and 82% lower and these reductions in abundance have led to an overall decline in taxon richness. This decrease was attributed to a reduction in the amount of litter and associated moisture levels, and a simplification of habitat structure. The extent of local and regional extinctions will depend upon the scale of this disturbance, with future studies investigating the impact on individual species within these communities. A comparison of two sampling techniques, pitfall-trapping and litter extraction, highlighted important considerations for spatial components of invertebrate sampling designs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott, I. (1984) Changes in the abundance and activity of certain soil and litter fauna in the jarrah forest of West-Australia after a moderate intensity wildfire. Aust. J. Soil Res. 22, 463–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abbott, I., van Heurk, P. and Wong, L. (1985) Responses to long-term fire exclusion: physical, chemical and fauna features of litter and soil in a Western Australian forest. Aust. For. 47, 237–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, A.N. and Yen, A.L. (1985) Immediate effects of fire on ants in the semi-arid mallee region of north-western Victoria. Aust. J. Ecol. 10, 25–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beattie, A.J. (1995) Biodiversity, Australia's Living Wealth. Research Unit for Biodiversity and Bioresources, School of Biological Sciences. Macquarie University, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birk, E.M. and Bridges, R.G. (1989) Recurrent fires and fuel accumulation in even-aged blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) forests. For. Ecol. Manage. 29, 59–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bornemissza, G.F. (1969) The re-invasion of burnt woodland areas by insects and mites. Proc. Ecol. Soc. Aust. 4, 138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A.J. (1973) The Effects of Prescribed Burning on Surface Active Invertebrate Fauna in Pine and Eucalypt Forest Within the Australian Capital Territory. Unpubl. BSc. (Hons.) Thesis. Australian National University, Canberra ACT, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A.J. and Tanton, M.T. (1981) Effect of fire on the invertebrate fauna of soil and litter of a eucalypt forest. In: Fire and the Australian Biota (A.M. Gill, R.H. Groves and I.R. Noble, eds), Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collett, N.G. and Neumann, F.G. (1995) Effects of two spring prescribed fires on epigeal Coleoptera in dry sclerophyll forest in Victoria, Australia. For. Ecol. Manage. 6, 69–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collett, N.G., Neumann, F.G., and Tolhurst, K.G. (1993) Effects of two short rotation prescribed fires in spring on surface-active arthropods and earthworms in dry sclerophyll eucalypt forest of west-central Victoria. Aust. For. 56, 49–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coy, R. (1996) The impact of fire on soil invertebrates in E. regnans forest at Powelltown, Victoria. In: Fire and Biodiversity: The Effects and Effectiveness of Fire Management, pp. 183–198. Biodiversity Unit, Department of Environment Sport and Territories, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dindal, D.L. and Metz, L.J. (1977) Community structure of collembola affected by fire frequency. In: The Role of Arthropods in Forest Ecosystems (W.J. Mattson, ed.), pp. 88–95. Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, K.W. (1969) The ecology of two species of terrestrial Amphipoda (Crustaceae: Family Tallitridae) living in waste grassland. Pedobiologia 9, 323–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friend, J.A. and Richardson, A.M.M. (1986) Biology of terrestrial amphipods. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 31, 25–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill, A.M. (1981) Adaptive responses of Australian vascular plant species to fires. In Fire and the Australian Biota (A.M. Gill, R.H. Groves and I.R. Noble, eds), pp. 243–272. Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, R.H. (1979) Sampling Design and Statistical Methods for Environmental Biologists. Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hindmarsh, R. and Majer, J.D. (1977) Food requirements of the mardo (Antechinus flavipesWaterhouse) and the effect of fire on Mardo abundance. Forests Department of Western Australia Research Paper 31.

  • Huhta, V. (1971) Succession in spider communities of the forest floor after clear-cutting and prescribed burning. Ann. Zool. Fennici. 8, 483–542.

    Google Scholar 

  • Majer, J.D. (1980) Report on a study of invertebrates in relation to the Kojonup Nature Reserve fire management plan. Bull. Dept. Biol. West. Aust. Inst. Tech. 2, 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Majer, J.D. (1984) Ant return in rehabilitation mines - an indication of ecosystem resilience. In: Medicos IV: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Mediterranean Ecosystems (B. Dell, ed.) pp. 105–106. Botany Dept., University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Majer, J.D. (1992) Ant recolonization of rehabilitated bauxite mines of Pocos de Caldas, Brasil. J. Trop. Ecol. 8, 97–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merrett, P. (1976) Changes in the ground-living spider fauna after heathland fires in Dorset. Bull. Br. Arachnol. Soc. 3, 214–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metz, L.J. and Dindal, D.L. (1975) Collembola populations and prescribed burning. Environ. Entomol. 4, 583–587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, M.G. (1975) Preliminary observations on the effects of burning on the hemiptera (Homoptera and Auchenorhyncha) of limestone grassland. Biol. Cons. 7, 312–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moulton, T.P. (1982) The Effect of Prescribed Burning and Simulated Burning on Soil and Litter Arthropods in Open Forest at Cordeaux, NSW, Australia. Unpubl. PhD Thesis, Macquarie University, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neumann, F.G. and Tolhurst, K. (1991) Effects of fuel reduction burning on epigeal arthropods and earthworms in dry sclerophyll eucalypt forest of west-central Victoria. Aust. J. Ecol. 16, 315–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • New, T.R. (1984) Insect Conservation: an Australian Perspective. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noble, I.R. and Slatyer, R.O. (1981) Concepts and models of succession in vascular plant communities subject to recurrent fire. In: Fire and the Australian Biota (A.M. Gill, R.H. Groves and I.R. Noble, eds), pp. 311–315. Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norusis, M.J. (1993) SPSS for Windows. Advanced Statistics. Release 6.0. SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seastedt, T.R. (1984) Below-ground macroarthropods of annually burned and unburned tall grass prairie. Am. Midl. Natur. 111, 405–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Springett, J.A. (1976) The effect of prescribed burning on the soil fauna and litter decomposition in Western Australian forests. Aust. J. Ecol. 1, 77–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Springett, J.A. (1979) The effects of a single hot summer fire on soil fauna and litter decomposition in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest in Western Australia. Aust. J. Ecol. 4, 279–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, A.J. (1990) Experiments in ecology: their logics, functions and interpretations. Aust. J. Ecol. 15, 365–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, A.J. (1997) Experiments in Ecology. Their Logical Design and Interpretation Using Analysis of Variance. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Loon, A.P. (1970) Further Investigations in the Effects of Prescribed Burning on Young Even-aged Blackbutt. Taree Forestry Office Research Report, Forestry Commission of New South Wales.

  • Whelan, R.J. (1995) The Ecology of Fire. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whelan, R.J., Langedyk, W. and Pashby, A.S. (1980) The effects of wildfire on arthropod populations in a Jarrah-Banksia woodland. West. Aust. Natur. 14, 214–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodward, F.I. (1993) How many species are required for a functioning ecosystem? In: Ecosystem Function of Biodiversity (E.D. Schultz and H.A. Mooney, eds), Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • York, A. (1996) Long-term effects of fuel reduction burning on invertebrates in a dry sclerophyll forest. In: Fire and Biodiversity: The Effects and Effectiveness of Fire Management, pp. 163–181. Biodiversity Unit, Department of Environment Sport and Territories, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • York, A. (1999) Long-term effects of repeated prescribed burning on forest invertebrates: management implications for the conservation of biodiversity. In: Australia's Biodiversity - Responses to Fire. Plants, birds and invertebrates, pp. 181–266. Biodiversity Technical Series No. 1, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Research and Development Division, State Forests of New South Wales, PO Box 100, Beecroft, NSW, 2119, Australia

    A. York

Authors
  1. A. York
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

York, A. Long-Term Effects of Frequent Low-Intensity Burning on the Abundance of Litter-Dwelling Invertebrates in Coastal Blackbutt Forests of Southeastern Australia. Journal of Insect Conservation 3, 191–199 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009643627781

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009643627781

Search

Navigation