Small mammals decline with increasing fire extent in northern Australia: evidence from long-term monitoring in Kakadu National Park

A decade-long study in Kakadu National Park, Australia, reveals that small mammal populations decline significantly with increasing fire extent, rather than just fire frequency or patchiness. Fire extent—a measure combining fire size and frequency—was the strongest predictor of mammal declines, surpassing other metrics like the proportion of surrounding area burnt. Large, less patchy fires, which exceed the home range scales of small mammals, are particularly detrimental, suggesting limited escape options for these species. Despite ongoing management efforts, current fire regimes remain harmful to native mammals, underscoring the need for more targeted strategies to reduce fire size and mitigate biodiversity loss.

Lawes, M. J., Murphy, B. P., Fisher, A., Woinarski, J. C. Z., Edwards, A. C., & Russell-Smith, J. (2015). Small mammals decline with increasing fire extent in northern Australia: evidence from long-term monitoring in Kakadu National Park. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 24(5), 712. https://doi.org/10.1071/wf14163