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Effects of large herbivores on fire regimes and wildfire mitigation
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
1. Abandonment of agricultural land is widespread in many parts of the world, leading
to shrub and tree encroachment. The increase of flammable plant biomass, that is,
fuel load, increases the risk and intensity of wildfires. Fuel reduction by herbivores
is a promising management strategy to avoid fuel build-up
and mitigate wildfires.
However, their effectiveness in mitigating wildfire damage may depend on a range
of factors, including herbivore type, population density and feeding patterns.
2. Here, we review the evidence on whether management with herbivores can reduce
fuel load and mitigate wildfires, and if so, how to identify suitable management
that can achieve fire mitigation objectives while providing other ecosystem
services. We systematically reviewed studies that investigated links between herbivores,
fire hazard, fire frequency and fire damage.
3. We found that, in general, herbivores reduce fuel load most effectively when they
are mixed feeders, when grazing and browsing herbivores are combined and when
herbivore food preferences match the local vegetation. In some cases, the combination
of herbivory with other management strategies, such as mechanical clearing,
is necessary to reduce wildfire damage.
4. Synthesis and Applications. We conclude that herbivores have the capacity to mitigate
wildfire damage, and we provide guidance for grazing management for wildfire
mitigation strategies. As areas undergoing land abandonment are particularly
prone to wildfires, the maintenance or promotion of grazing by domestic or wild
herbivores is a promising tool to reduce wildfire risk in a cost-effective
way, while
also providing other ecosystem services. Relevant land-use
policies, including fire
suppression policies, agricultural and forest(ry) policies could incentivise the use
of herbivores for better wildfire prevention.
Descrição
Review
Palavras-chave
browsing fire regimes grazing herbivory pastoralism rewilding
Contexto Educativo
Citação
J Appl Ecol. 2021;00:1–13
Editora
British Ecological Society