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Reply to comment on ‘chainsawing for conservation: ecologically informed tree removal for habitat management’

Reply to comment on ‘chainsawing for conservation: ecologically informed tree removal for habitat... Introduction Reductions in the size and connectivity of populations mean that many endangered species are less resilient to changes in habitat quality than would have been the case historically. Recently ( Pike 2011a,b ), we outlined an approach using chainsaws to quickly and effectively reduce forest cover to increase habitat quality for Australia’s most endangered snake, the Broad‐headed Snake ( Hoplocephalus bungaroides ). The premise of our study was that the availability of critical microhabitat requirements of this snake – sun‐exposed sandstone rocks – has declined because of encroachment of vegetation above previously sun‐exposed areas. Thus, reducing vegetation overgrowth (by cutting away trees that shaded crucial habitat features) provides a simple way to restore habitat quality for this species. Our research on this system identified several possible contributors to that forest thickening, including changes in fire regimes since European colonisation, climate change and local extinction of large macropod herbivores ( Webb 2005 ; Pringle 2009 ; Pike 2011a,b ). Doherty (2012) challenges our conclusions, based on the issues associated with one (and only one) of these vegetation‐changing processes (changed fire regimes). Specifically, Doherty (2012) argues that fire frequency has not declined at our study site (because up to http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Ecological Management & Restoration Wiley

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References (12)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
© 2012 Ecological Society of Australia
ISSN
1442-7001
eISSN
1442-8903
DOI
10.1111/j.1442-8903.2012.00666.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Introduction Reductions in the size and connectivity of populations mean that many endangered species are less resilient to changes in habitat quality than would have been the case historically. Recently ( Pike 2011a,b ), we outlined an approach using chainsaws to quickly and effectively reduce forest cover to increase habitat quality for Australia’s most endangered snake, the Broad‐headed Snake ( Hoplocephalus bungaroides ). The premise of our study was that the availability of critical microhabitat requirements of this snake – sun‐exposed sandstone rocks – has declined because of encroachment of vegetation above previously sun‐exposed areas. Thus, reducing vegetation overgrowth (by cutting away trees that shaded crucial habitat features) provides a simple way to restore habitat quality for this species. Our research on this system identified several possible contributors to that forest thickening, including changes in fire regimes since European colonisation, climate change and local extinction of large macropod herbivores ( Webb 2005 ; Pringle 2009 ; Pike 2011a,b ). Doherty (2012) challenges our conclusions, based on the issues associated with one (and only one) of these vegetation‐changing processes (changed fire regimes). Specifically, Doherty (2012) argues that fire frequency has not declined at our study site (because up to

Journal

Ecological Management & Restoration – Wiley

Published: Sep 1, 2012

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