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Comment On: ‘Chainsawing for conservation: ecologically informed tree removal for habitat management’ by D.A. Pike, J.K. Webb and R. Shine. (2011), Ecological Management and Restoration 12 ( 2 ): 110–118

Comment On: ‘Chainsawing for conservation: ecologically informed tree removal for habitat... Introduction The recent study of Pike (2011) in EMR details a method for improving the habitat of the endangered broad‐headed snake and its prey, involving the selected removal of overhanging trees on rocky outcrops. While I have no issue with their results, there is a major assertion underpinning the study which in my opinion has not been convincingly argued, yet it is stated as being the essential reason for the habitat manipulation; namely, that rocky outcrops in the study area are overgrown because of long‐term fire suppression. I question whether the study area can be categorised as being fire suppressed and whether the rocky outcrops are becoming overgrown in a manner that is outside of their historical range of variation. I suggest that a detailed understanding of key components of the local fire regime – frequency, intensity and seasonality – is necessary to understand whether changes in vegetation composition, vegetation structure and habitat suitability are directional as suggested in the study, or whether they are exhibiting varying states of natural postfire secondary succession. Discussion Pike (2011) base their habitat intervention on an underlying assertion that fires have effectively been suppressed in their study area and that this has http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Ecological Management & Restoration Wiley

Comment On: ‘Chainsawing for conservation: ecologically informed tree removal for habitat management’ by D.A. Pike, J.K. Webb and R. Shine. (2011), Ecological Management and Restoration 12 ( 2 ): 110–118

Doherty, Michael
Ecological Management & Restoration , Volume 13 (3) – Sep 1, 2012
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References (8)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2012 Ecological Society of Australia
ISSN
1442-7001
eISSN
1442-8903
DOI
10.1111/j.1442-8903.2012.00662.x
Publisher site
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Abstract

Introduction The recent study of Pike (2011) in EMR details a method for improving the habitat of the endangered broad‐headed snake and its prey, involving the selected removal of overhanging trees on rocky outcrops. While I have no issue with their results, there is a major assertion underpinning the study which in my opinion has not been convincingly argued, yet it is stated as being the essential reason for the habitat manipulation; namely, that rocky outcrops in the study area are overgrown because of long‐term fire suppression. I question whether the study area can be categorised as being fire suppressed and whether the rocky outcrops are becoming overgrown in a manner that is outside of their historical range of variation. I suggest that a detailed understanding of key components of the local fire regime – frequency, intensity and seasonality – is necessary to understand whether changes in vegetation composition, vegetation structure and habitat suitability are directional as suggested in the study, or whether they are exhibiting varying states of natural postfire secondary succession. Discussion Pike (2011) base their habitat intervention on an underlying assertion that fires have effectively been suppressed in their study area and that this has

Journal

Ecological Management & Restoration – Wiley

Published: Sep 1, 2012

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