Article
Engineering, Industrial
Milad Haghani, Erica Kuligowski, Abbas Rajabifard, Crystal A. Kolden
Summary: Along with the increase in the frequency of disastrous wildfires and bushfires around the world, scholarly research efforts in this field have also intensified. This study investigates the divisions and trends of wildfire/bushfire research and finds that the field has been growing exponentially. The research domain is multidisciplinary, with divisions focused on forest ecology, fire detection technology, community risk mitigation, soil and water ecology, and atmospheric science. Popular topics within the field include climate change and fire activities, fire risk modeling/mapping, wildfire impact on organic matter, biomass burning, and human health impacts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah C. McColl-Gausden, Lauren T. Bennett, Dan A. Ababei, Hamish G. Clarke, Trent D. Penman
Summary: Predictions show significant shifts in fire regimes for alpine ash forests in the future, with increased intensity and frequency of wildfires. About 67% of current alpine ash distribution is expected to face immature risks over a 100-year period, particularly for patches on the outskirts of the current distribution, closer to roads, or surrounded by drier landscapes at lower elevations.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jeremy Russell-Smith, Glenn James, Alan Maratja Dhamarrandji, Ted Gondarra, Danny Burton, Bevlyne Sithole, Otto Bulmaniya Campion, Hmalan Hunter-Xenie, Ricky Archer, Kamaljit K. Sangha, Andrew C. Edwards
Summary: Northern Australia is vulnerable to natural hazards, with Indigenous communities disproportionately affected. Despite efforts to address this issue, funding remains a challenge. Research suggests that integrating emergency management and community services through Indigenous Ranger Groups can bring cost-effective benefits to remote communities.
Article
Development Studies
Ritika Khurana, Douglas Mugabe, Xiaoli L. Etienne
Summary: This empirical study examines the impact of climate-induced natural disasters on the quality of institutions in 92 countries from 1984 to 2016. The findings reveal a negative effect of natural disasters on national institutions, especially in low-income non-developed countries. Institutions in East Asia, the Pacific, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean tend to deteriorate after natural disasters, while natural disasters in the Middle East and North Africa often lead to improved institutions. The study emphasizes the importance of adopting a combined "top-down and bottom-up" approach in disaster risk reduction policies and international assistance programs for climate change adaptation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Cecile C. Remy, Gwenael Magne, Normunds Stivrins, Tuomas Aakala, Hugo Asselin, Heikki Seppae, Tomi Luoto, Nauris Jasiunas, Adam A. A. Ali
Summary: Climate change is expected to increase wildfire activity in boreal ecosystems, threatening the carbon stocks of these forests. Understanding fire regimes and their relationship with climate and vegetation is crucial for anticipating the impact of climate change. However, the lack of long-term knowledge hinders this understanding in Fennoscandia.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew R. Sloggy, Jordan F. Suter, Mani Rouhi Rad, Dale T. Manning, Chris Goemans
Summary: Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, have a significant impact on individuals' beliefs regarding climate change, particularly increasing the probability of believing in both the occurrence of climate change and its human causes. Past experience with certain types of natural disasters influences beliefs about whether climate change is occurring and if it is human caused.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Miti Shah, Sarah Seraj, James W. Pennebaker
Summary: Most scientists see climate change as the biggest threat today, yet surprisingly, discussions about it on social media are rare. A study on Reddit found that discussions on climate change increase significantly for different types of events, with political events having the highest impact. The findings suggest that climate change discussions are more influenced by political controversial positions than local natural disasters.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Luke Collins, Hamish Clarke, Michael F. Clarke, Sarah C. McColl Gausden, Rachael H. Nolan, Trent Penman, Ross Bradstock
Summary: The aim of this study was to identify the environmental drivers of interannual variation in wildfire extent and severity in south-eastern Australia. The results showed that climatic potential for large and severe forest fires has increased since the 1950s, likely due to anthropogenic climate change. The magnitude and severity of the 2019-2020 fires reflected extreme climatic conditions, indicating the increasing size and severity of wildfires.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah C. McColl-Gausden, Lauren T. Bennett, Hamish G. Clarke, Dan A. Ababei, Trent D. Penman
Summary: This study quantifies the direct and indirect effects of climate on fire regime change in temperate forests in southeastern Australia. The results indicate that future climate change will intensify fire regimes by increasing wildfire extent and intensity and decreasing fire interval. The role of future fuel also interacts with climate change, either synergistically or antagonistically, depending on the landscape and fire regime attribute. These findings suggest that temperate ecosystems in southeastern Australia are likely to experience shifts in fire regimes in the coming decades.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Business
Yanjun Liao, Pablo Ruiz Junco
Summary: Extreme weather events and natural disasters can affect campaign contributions and election outcomes by prompting voters to reassess the incumbent politician's environmental position. Research findings suggest that higher weekly temperatures lead to more online contributions to the Democratic Party, and when a natural disaster strikes, elections become more competitive if the incumbent leans towards anti-environment policies.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Firas Gerges, Rayan H. Assaad, Hani Nassif, Elie Bou-Zeid, Michel C. Boufadel
Summary: The resilience of communities has become a major goal in policy and practice, with laws requiring climate-related hazard vulnerability assessments in master plan updates. Quantifying community resilience is crucial to measure preparedness and enhance capacity to endure disasters. Two approaches, community and infrastructure resilience, are being pursued, and a hybrid approach combining both is proposed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Federica Cappelli, Valeria Costantini, Davide Consoli
Summary: Through empirical analysis of data from 149 countries, it was found that inequality increases the number of people affected by natural disasters, leading to a vicious cycle of disasters and inequality in some countries.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Caterina Di Tommaso, Matteo Foglia, Vincenzo Pacelli
Summary: This paper examines the relationship between natural disasters and the reaction of sovereign CDS spread in Europe. Using event study methodology and an original database, the authors identify 92 natural disasters in 17 European countries and assess the response of the sovereign CDS market. The findings reveal a heterogeneous response of European sovereign risk to natural disasters, with variations across regions and evidence of cross-border contagion effects.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin J. Hanan, Jianning Ren, Christina L. Tague, Crystal A. Kolden, John T. Abatzoglou, Ryan R. Bart, Maureen C. Kennedy, Mingliang Liu, Jennifer C. Adam
Summary: Extreme wildfires are increasing globally, prompting new efforts to mitigate risk. The ecological appropriateness of risk mitigation strategies depends on the factors driving these increases. Recent advances in fire regime modeling can help understand which drivers dominate at management-relevant scales.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kate Burrows, Ji-Young Son, Michelle L. Bell
Summary: This study examines the differences between individuals who relocated and those who did not after environmental disruptions in Indonesia, finding that those with 12 years of education were more likely to move for environmental reasons. The research suggests that those in the mid-range socioeconomic brackets may be most likely to migrate after environmental disruptions, while the poorest are less likely to move.
Article
Plant Sciences
Michael J. Lawes, Michael D. Crisp, Peter J. Clarke, Brett P. Murphy, Jeremy J. Midgley, Jeremy Russell-Smith, Catherine E. M. Nano, Ross A. Bradstock, Neal J. Enright, Joseph B. Fontaine, Carl R. Gosper, Leigh-Ann Woolley
Summary: Postfire resprouting and recruitment from seed are common resilience traits in Australian ecosystems. Resprouting is an ancestral trait, while postfire seed recruitment has evolved independently multiple times. Both resprouting and seed recruitment are common in most clades, but negatively correlated at the ecosystem level, indicating an evolutionary trade-off related to fire regimes and ecosystem productivity.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Lynda D. Prior, Scott C. Nichols, Grant J. Williamson, David M. J. S. Bowman
Summary: Sphagnum bogs in Australia are small, with a limited distribution, but of high conservation value. The increasing fire activity caused by anthropogenic climate change poses a threat to these bogs. A field experiment in Tasmania showed that fire-damaged Sphagnum recovers very slowly, but the addition of shade can enhance recovery. Fertilizer, on the other hand, is harmful to healthy Sphagnum. Further research is needed to determine the optimal approach and duration of shade provision in post-fire Sphagnum recovery projects.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Angela M. Reid, Brett P. Murphy, Tom Vigilante, David M. J. S. Bowman
Summary: This study evaluated the complex relationship between forage, fire and abundance of native and introduced large herbivores in tropical savannas. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the pyric herbivory conceptual model in the Australian context.
Article
Ecology
David M. J. S. Bowman, Stefania Ondei, Arko Lucieer, Scott Foyster, Lynda D. Prior
Summary: The study investigates the boundaries between forests and sedgelands in western Tasmania and finds that they have been geographically stable over historical timeframes. Keystone resprouter species contribute to the rapid recovery of vegetation after fire.
Article
Ecology
Rosemary Hohnen, Alex I. James, Paul Jennings, Brett P. Murphy, Karleah Berris, Sarah M. Legge, Chris R. Dickman, John C. Z. Woinarski
Summary: Predation by feral cats has led to the extinction of native species in Australia and globally. The impacts of feral cats are intensified in post-fire environments, as cats are attracted to hunt in burnt areas and are more effective hunters in open habitats. Camera traps were used to estimate feral cat abundance on Kangaroo Island, and it was found that cat detections declined post-fire, indicating the potential threat of cat predation to surviving prey species.
Article
Ecology
Brenton von Takach, Holly Sargent, Cara E. Penton, Kate Rick, Brett P. Murphy, Georgina Neave, Hugh F. Davies, Brydie M. Hill, Sam C. Banks
Summary: This study investigates the genomic diversity of a threatened Australian rodent, the black-footed tree-rat, and finds evidence of population decline across its range. The population in the Darwin region appears to be more stable. Prioritizing conservation efforts on the Darwin and Cobourg Peninsula populations would be the most cost-effective way to retain the majority of genetic diversity. These findings provide crucial data for conservation planning.
Article
Ecology
David M. J. S. Bowman, Stefania Ondei, Scott C. Nichols, Scott M. Foyster, Lynda D. Prior
Summary: The cause of large treeless areas in western Tasmania has puzzled ecologists for a long time. The study found that the fire cycle model is more suitable to explain the vegetation distribution than the ecological drift model. The recovery of wetland vegetation after 1983 fire and rapid regeneration after 2019 fire support the fire cycle model.
Article
Ecology
David M. J. S. Bowman
Summary: Achieving sustainable coexistence with wildfires in the Anthropocene requires integrated approaches to fire observation, prediction, risk assessment, and climate projection. The atmospheric sciences provide a role model for multiscale assessments of fire danger, offering insights into weather and climate pattern analysis and prediction. Specialized national agencies, similar to weather services, are needed to provide diverse products and enable detection and prediction of landscape fire activity in response to escalating fire disaster risk.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
David M. J. S. Bowman, Grant J. Williamson, Mercy Ndalila, Stephen H. Roxburgh, Shaun Suitor, Rodney J. Keenan
Summary: Accounting for greenhouse gas emissions from landscape fires is important, especially in Australia where natural and human fires are common. The current national inventory focuses on forest fires, but we argue for a more detailed reporting of vegetation fires, including fire severity patterns, emission factors, growth and recovery models, and the human agency behind emissions. This comprehensive accounting would provide incentives for improved fire management practices.
CARBON BALANCE AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David M. J. S. Bowman, Phillipa C. Mccormack
Summary: The Victorian Government Inquiry into wildfires in 2009 prompted a change in Australian policy from 'go or stay' to 'leave early' under catastrophic fire weather. The inquiry also led to the establishment of national performance standards for Private Fire Shelters (PFSs), although their incorporation into national bushfire policy remains limited.
Article
Ecology
Gavin J. Trewella, Teigan Cremona, Harry Nevard, Brett P. Murphy
Summary: This study compares the habitat use of feral cats and endangered northern quolls in Australia and finds that feral cats are more likely to inhabit areas with high fire frequencies and low tree basal area, while northern quolls prefer areas with high basal area, low fire frequency and dense vegetation. The study highlights the importance of maintaining structurally complex habitats for threatened mammals to coexist with introduced predators in tropical savanna.
Article
Ecology
David M. J. S. Bowman, James M. Furlaud, Meagan Porter, Grant J. Williamson
Summary: Fine fuel moisture content (FFMC) is a crucial factor in wildfire occurrence and behavior. Accurate determination of FFMC is difficult, but using Hygrochron iButton data for the Fuel Moisture Index (FMI) provides a reliable and cost-effective method for ecologists to measure fuel moisture in landscapes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hugh F. Davies, Tiwi Land Rangers, Emily Nicholson, Brett P. Murphy
Summary: This study aimed to provide the first estimates of native mammal density on the Tiwi Islands in Northern Australia. The research found that populations of common brushtail possum and northern brown bandicoot remained relatively healthy on the islands, with significant variation in density across different sites. The study highlights the importance of understanding population density for future conservation efforts in the region.
PACIFIC CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hugh F. Davies, Tiwi Land Rangers, Matthew W. Rees, Danielle Stokeld, Anna C. Miller, Graeme R. Gillespie, Brett P. Murphy
Summary: Despite limited understanding of the ecological constraints of feral cat population density, a study in northern Australia found significant variations in cat density between two large islands, with the absence of feral herbivores potentially contributing to this difference.
PACIFIC CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
