Large herbivore can reduce fire risks
Around the world, wildfires are posing major risks to people and nature; domestic and wild animals can help prevent them

Date:
September 9, 2021
Source:
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena- Leipzig
Summary:
The use of large herbivores can be an effective means to
prevent and mitigate wildfires, especially in places facing land
abandonment. They can replace much more costly solutions like
firefighting or mechanical vegetation removal.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
In many parts of the world, socio-economic drivers are causing large-scale
land abandonment. Nomadic practices and pastoralism are decreasing
worldwide as well. As a result, areas gradually grow over with bushes,
and trees accumulate combustible plant material. Established firebreaks
are lost. These processes lead to a higher risk and greater intensity
of wildfires. Currently, one of the main responses to this risk is to
invest in firefighting capacity. While this can be effective in fighting wildfires once they occur, more promising strategies involve avoiding
intense wildfires in the first place.


========================================================================== Researchers from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig University, the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental
Research (UFZ), Wageningen University and CIBIO/InBIO (Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of University of Porto and University
of Lisbon) found, that large herbivores -- including domestic livestock,
wild and semi-wild herbivores -- can form a nature-based solution to
reduce the risk of wildfires.

The study was conducted as part of the project GrazeLIFE (LIFE-Preparatory project on request of and co-financed by the European Commission),
coordinated by Rewilding Europe.

The international research team examined whether large herbivores can
reduce the amount of fire-prone vegetation and in turn the impact of
wildfires. To do this, they evaluated existing studies that investigated connections between herbivores, vegetation structure, fire risk, fire
frequency and fire damage.

They found that herbivores can mitigate wildfire damage. The effectiveness depends on a number of factors: herbivore population density, herbivore
species and diet, but also the type of vegetation and environmental
conditions.

"Not only domestic animals can do the job, but also reintroduced wild
and semi- wild herbivores," said Julia Rouet-Leduc, lead author of the
study and doctoral researcher at iDiv and Leipzig University. "They can be effective in reducing wildfire risk, especially in remote and inaccessible areas where careful management with herbivores can combine wildfire
prevention with nature conservation." Dr Fons van der Plas, senior author
of the study and an assistant professor at Wageningen University added: "Extensive forms of grazing will not lead to homogeneous short vegetation,
but the presence of short, grazed patches can already be enough to avoid uncontrollable fire spread, acting as natural fire breaks." Where needed, short-term intensive grazing (known as "targeted grazing") can also be
combined with other actions like mechanical clearing to further reduce
fire risks.

Based on their findings, the researchers make recommendations for land
managers and policymakers to mitigate wildfires. One is to maintain
and promote extensive grazing by domestic or (semi-)wild herbivores in
areas currently facing land abandonment. This will require integrating
relevant agricultural, forestry and fire management policies, and
providing financial support for fire prevention with animals. In Europe,
for example, the Common Agricultural Policy should support farmers and
land owners in using extensive grazing for fire management. "Allowing
animals to do the work is an exceptionally cost-efficient way to manage
the land, while at the same time restoring missing ecosystem functions;
and it can benefit local people," said Dr Guy Pe'er, researcher at iDiv
and UFZ and also lead author of the study.

"At the same time, we have to accept that fires are natural processes
and important to many ecosystems, and we have to learn to live with them
to a certain extent," said Rouet-Leduc. "With climate change, wildfires
are likely to become increasingly severe in many parts of the world,"
said Pe'er. "Current policies can, and should, take much better account
of nature-based solutions, like allowing herbivores to do their job." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by German_Centre_for_Integrative_Biodiversity_Research_
(iDiv)_Halle-Jena-Leipzig. Note: Content may be edited for style and
length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Julia Rouet‐Leduc, Guy Pe'er, Francisco Moreira, Aletta Bonn,
Wouter Helmer, Shahin A. A. Shahsavan Zadeh, Alexander Zizka,
Fons van der Plas. Effects of large herbivores on fire regimes
and wildfire mitigation. Journal of Applied Ecology, 2021; DOI:
10.1111/1365- 2664.13972 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210909124012.htm

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