Forest type modulates mammalian responses to megafires

Author(s):Show less -

Magioli, Marcelo ; Lima, Luanne Helena Augusto ; Villela, Priscilla Marqui Schmidt ; Sampaio, Ricardo ; Bonjorne, Lilian ; Ribeiro, Renan Lieto Alves ; Kantek, Daniel Luis Zanella ; Miyazaki, Selma Samiko ; Semedo, Thiago B. F. ; Libardi, Gustavo S. ; Saranholi, Bruno H. ; Eriksson, Charlotte E. ; Morato, Ronaldo Goncalves ; Berlinck, Christian Niel

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 14, n. 1, p. 14-pg., 2024-06-12.

Abstract

Although considered an evolutionary force responsible for shaping ecosystems and biodiversity, fires' natural cycle is being altered by human activities, increasing the odds of destructive megafire events. Here, we show that forest type modulates the responses of terrestrial mammals, from species to assemblage level, to a catastrophic megafire in the Brazilian Pantanal. We unraveled that mammalian richness was higher 1 year after fire passage compared to a pre-fire condition, which can be attributed to habitat modification caused by wildfires, attracting herbivores and open-area tolerant species. We observed changes in assemblage composition between burned/unburned sites, but no difference in mammalian richness or relative abundance. However, by partitioning the effects of burned area proportion per forest type (monospecific vs. polyspecific), we detected differential responses of mammals at several levels of organization, with pronounced declines in species richness and relative abundance in monospecific forests. Eighty-six percent of the species presented moderate to strong negative effects on their relative abundance, with an overall strong negative effect for the entire assemblage. Wildfires are predicted to be more frequent with climate and land use change, and if events analogous to Pantanal-2020 become recurrent, they might trigger regional beta diversity change, benefitting open-area tolerant species. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 22/01741-3 - Reassessment of mammal species believed to be locally extinct at the Pernambuco Endemism Center (CEP), from mixed sample DNA and metabarcoding
• Grantee: Bruno Henrique Saranholi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 22/06791-9 - The ecological and functional role of Xenarthra in the trophic webs
• Grantee: Marcelo Magioli
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral