Insects, Fire and Conservation

A global synthesis of the impacts of wildfires and controlled burning on insects, bringing together much hitherto scattered information to provide a guide to improved conservation management practice. The great variety of responses by insect species and assemblages demonstrates the often subtle balance between fire being a severe threat and a vital management component. Examples from many parts of the world and from diverse biotopes and production systems display the increasingly detailed appreciation of fire impacts on insects in terrestrial and freshwater environments and the ways in which prescribed burning may be tailored to reduce harmful ecological impacts and incorporated into protocols for threatened species and wider insect conservation benefits.

First global synthesis of impacts of fire on insects species and assemblages Demonstrates ways in which prescribed fire can be used in insect conservation management Helps promote more rational and effective balance between fire as threat and management tool and suggests themes for improved protocols in the future Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Auteur
Emeritus Professor Tim New is an entomologist with broad interests in insect systematics, ecology and conservation. For long based at La Trobe University, Melbourne, he has travelled widely to collect and study insects in many parts of the world, and his extensive publications on these topics include about 40 books. He is recognised globally as one of the leading advocates for insect conservation.

Texte du rabat

This global synthesis of information on impacts of wildfires and prescribed burning on insect species and assemblages brings together examples from many parts of the world, and from many different environments and production systems. It demonstrates the wide variety of insect responses to fire, and the often subtle balance between fire being a severe threat or a valuable management component. Recent increased calls for massively increased fuel reduction burning have drawn attention to details of fire regimes, and how applications of fire may be tailored for greater conservation benefit. Some of the more traditional uses of fire in forestry, grassland succession, and agroecosystems have progressively been modified for greater consideration of wellbeing of sensitive insects and other biota. Increasing understanding of insect responses to fires can indicate factors that may be considered in improved protocols for prescribed burning in the future, and for incorporating fire in management plans for threatened insect species and wider assemblages.

Contenu

1: Fire ecology and insect ecology.- 2: Insect responses to fire.- 3: Sampling and study techniques.- 4: Ecological impacts of fires on insects.- 5: Fires and insect pest management.- 6: Fire in threatened species conservation management.- 7: Fire and insect assemblages.- 8: Fire as a management component.- 9: Prospects.