Prescribed fire in eucalypt woodlands: immediate effects on a microbat community of northern Australia

Published source details Inkster-Draper T.E., Sheaves M., Johnson C.N. & Robson S.K.A. (2013) Prescribed fire in eucalypt woodlands: immediate effects on a microbat community of northern Australia. Wildlife Research, 40, 70-76.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use prescribed burning Action Link

Use prescribed burning

A replicated, controlled, before-and-after, paired sites study in 2008 in six tropical eucalypt woodland sites in northern Queensland, Australia (Inkster-Draper et al 2013) found that prescribed burning resulted in higher bat activity and a change in species composition. A greater number of bat calls were recorded at treatment sites after prescribed burning (average 2,423) than before (1,174). There was no significant difference in bat calls at unburned control sites over the same period (‘before’: 1,008; ‘after’: 1,568 bat calls). Species composition also differed at the treatment sites before and after burning but did not differ at unburned control sites over the same period (data reported as statistical model results). At least 10 bat species were recorded (see original paper for data for individual species). One site from each of six pairs was burned with a low intensity fire for two days (treatment) with the other remaining unburned (control). Bat activity was recorded using bat detectors at six paired sites for 336 bat detector nights in June and July 2008 before burning, and for 234 bat detector nights during August, September and October 2008 after burning.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)