Impacts of changing fire regimes on hollow-bearing trees in south-eastern Australia

Abstract

Background. Many species use hollows or cavities that form in trees. The effect of an increasing fire frequency on hollow-bearing trees is unclear. Aims. To predict the effects of increasing fire frequency on the abundance of hollow-bearing trees and identify how to make forests more resilient to these changes. Methods. We simulated how increasing fire frequency will affect the abundance of hollow-bearing trees in forests of south-eastern Australia and conducted a sensitivity analysis to identify which variables affect these predictions. Key results. Other things being equal, we found a negative relationship between the number of hollow-bearing trees and increasing fire frequency. However, we identified scenarios where the number of hollow-bearing trees remained stable, or increased, with frequent fires. Conclusions. Hollow-bearing trees will decline where frequent fires co-occur with high rates at which trees collapse (or are removed) and/or where there are not a sufficient number of suitable mature trees in which new hollows can be excavated by fire. Implications. The impact of increasing fire frequency on hollow-dependent fauna is likely to be greatest in forests where regeneration is inhibited, a large number of trees are removed before they form hollows, and/or where rates of collapse among trees is elevated.