Severe wildfires promoted by climate change negatively impact forest amphibian metacommunities

• DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13700
• Publication Date: 2023-04-25T02:01:41Z
• Authors: Chad T. Beranek; Andrew J. Hamer; Stephen V. Mahony; Andrew Stauber; Shelby A. Ryan; John Gould; Samantha Wallace; Sarah Stock; Oliver Kelly; Thomas Parkin; Rudolf Weigner; Garry Daly; Alex Callen; Jodi J. L. Rowley; Kaya Klop‐Toker; Michael Mahony
• Keywords: Metacommunity; Occupancy

Abstract Aim Changes to the extent and severity of wildfires driven by anthropogenic climate change are predicted have compounding negative consequences for ecological communities. While there is evidence that severe weather events like drought impact amphibian communities, effects wildfire on such communities not well understood. The species likely vary, owing diversity their life‐history traits. However, no previous research has identified commonalities among amphibians at most risk from wildfire, limiting conservation initiatives in aftermath wildfire. We aimed investigate impacts unprecedented 2019–2020 black summer bushfires Australian forest Location Eastern coast New South Wales, Australia. Methods conducted visual encounter surveys passive acoustic monitoring across 411 sites within two regions, one northeast southeast Wales. used fire mapping multispecies occupancy models assess 35 species. Results demonstrate a influence metacommunity richness south with weaker north—reflective less fires occurred this region. Both threatened common were impacted extent. Occupancy burrowing rain specialists had mostly relationships extent, while arboreal neutral relationships. Main Conclusion Metacommunity adaptive strategies needed account after climatic events. Ecological, morphological variation drives susceptibility wildfires. document first change‐driven impacting temperate broad geographic area, which raises serious concern persistence under an increasingly fire‐prone climate.