Severe, large-scale bushfire threatens metapopulation function of quokka (Setonix brachyurus) in south-western Australia
Karlene Bain A * , Merril Halley B and Adrian Wayne C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Python Ecological Services, PO Box 355, Walpole, WA 6398, Australia.
B Deceased. Formerly of World Wildlife Fund Australia, PO Box 2167, Churchlands, WA 6018, Australia.
C Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Parks and Wildlife Service, Locked Bag 2, Manjimup, WA 6258, Australia.
* Correspondence to: draconis@wn.com.au
International Journal of Wildland Fire 32(8) 1175-1186 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF23008
Submitted: 23 January 2023 Accepted: 13 May 2023 Published: 20 June 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of IAWF. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Background: The risk of large, severe bushfires is increasing in Australia, and little is known about their impact on threatened species.
Aims: This study aimed to investigated the abundance, occupancy and metapopulation structure of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) for 5 years following a large, severe bushfire in Western Australia.
Methods: Data collected across spatiotemporally replicated transects were used to estimate probabilities of occupancy and abundance, and to evaluate the influence of covariates.
Key results: Quokka abundance was reduced to 16% of pre-fire levels, with distances up to 74 km separating subpopulations. Recolonising quokkas occupied habitat in parts of the landscape that had retained some vertical vegetation structure and contained a sedge-dominated understorey, and where damage by feral pigs was low. This coincided with topographic refugia that consisted of deep, mesic riparian systems or perched wetland systems. After 5 years, abundance had increased to 46% of pre-fire levels, with distances of 5–30 km separating subpopulations.
Conclusion: Quokka recovery rate is slower than expected, and the metapopulation remains vulnerable to further fragmentation arising from disturbances that affect habitat patch suitability and movement corridors.
Implications: Proactive protection of refugia and spatiotemporal habitat connectivity within and surrounding the fire scar is critical for metapopulation recovery.
Keywords: bushfire, fire refugia, fire severity, habitat connectivity, metapopulation structure, occupancy, recolonisation patterns, threatened species.
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