Mitigation of disease and browsing impacts, and translocation, supports post-fire threatened flora recovery

Sarah Barrett; Colin J. Yates; Rebecca Dillon; Megan Dilly; Ben Varcoe; Darcy Martin; Bayley Castlehow; Carl R. Gosper

doi:10.1071/BT23081

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Next Contents Vol 72(3)

Mitigation of disease and browsing impacts, and translocation, supports post-fire threatened flora recovery

Sarah Barrett ^A , Colin J. Yates ^B , Rebecca Dillon

^B , Megan Dilly ^A , Ben Varcoe ^A , Darcy Martin ^A , Bayley Castlehow ^A and Carl R. Gosper

^B ^*

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Parks and Wildlife Service, South Coast Region, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.

^B Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: carl.gosper@dbca.wa.gov.au

Handling Editor: Lynda Prior

Australian Journal of Botany 72, BT23081 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT23081

Submitted: 26 September 2023 Accepted: 15 April 2024 Published: 9 May 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

For plant species that have evolved in fire-prone environments, declines after wildfires are often driven by the combination of fire and other threatening processes. Mitigating the impacts of these threatening processes can sometimes effectively support post-fire population recovery.

Aims

We test the effectiveness of: (1) phosphite application to mitigate Phytophthora dieback; (2) fencing to exclude browsing by mammalian herbivores; and (3) translocation to sites where threats can be practically managed, for conservation of threatened flora affected by wildfires in 2018 and 2019 in the Stirling Range (Koi Kyeunu-ruff), south-western Australia.

Methods

Survival of Phytophthora-susceptible flora was compared in repeatedly sampled plots from prior to and after wildfire and ± recurrent phosphite application. Survival and growth of browsing-susceptible flora was compared post-fire in fenced and control plots. Survival, growth and flowering was compared between wild populations recruiting after wildfire and translocated populations.

Key results

Phosphite application increased survival of most Phytophthora-susceptible flora. Fencing led to greater growth and often increased survival. Translocated populations, with supplemental water, had greater growth rates and earlier flowering than wild populations, and a non-significant trend for higher survival.

Conclusions

These findings provide strong evidence supporting continuation of phosphite application, herbivore exclusion and translocation for post-fire recovery of the threatened flora of the Stirling Range.

Implications

With increasing wildfire extent, frequency and impact across the globe, successful management of non-fire threats will be crucial for post-fire conservation of threatened flora, with the approaches proving effective in this study likely to have conservation value elsewhere.

Keywords: exclusion fencing, fire regime, herbivore, phosphite, Phytophthora, recruitment, seed production area, Southwest Australian Floristic Regionxs.

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