Population density of the spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca declines after fire in north-western Africa

Fire is a key ecological process in several biomes worldwide. Over recent decades, human activities (e.g. rural abandonment, monoculture plantations) and global warming are magnifying the risk of fire, with changes in fire intensity and frequency. Here, we offer the first study that examines the imp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	PloS one 2019-08, Vol.14 (8), p.e0220969
Main Authors:	Chergui, Brahim, Rodríguez-Caro, Roberto C, Graciá, Eva, Fahd, Soumia, Santos, Xavier
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Abandonment Africa, Northern Africa, Western Analysis Animal behavior Animals Biology and Life Sciences Biomes Climate change Conservation Conservation of Natural Resources Cork Ecological Parameter Monitoring - statistics & numerical data Ecological Parameter Monitoring - trends Ecology and Environmental Sciences Endangered & extinct species Environmental aspects Fires Forests Global temperature changes Global warming Habitats Human influences Monoculture People and Places Pinus Plantations Population Density Quercus Quercus suber Sampling Testudines Testudinidae Testudo graeca Tortoises Turtles Wildlife conservation
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Summary:	Fire is a key ecological process in several biomes worldwide. Over recent decades, human activities (e.g. rural abandonment, monoculture plantations) and global warming are magnifying the risk of fire, with changes in fire intensity and frequency. Here, we offer the first study that examines the impact of fire on the spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca living in a native cork oak forest and pine plantation in north-western Africa. A total of 44 transects (22 burnt and 22 unburnt) were sampled at 8 sites affected by fires of natural cork oak forest and pine plantation with 8 surveys per site in 2015-2017 (264 hours of sampling effort). Tortoise densities were estimated with line-transect distance sampling. The detection probability of tortoises was higher in burnt (0.915) than unburnt (0.474) transects. The density of tortoises was negatively associated with elevation and declined with fire by c. 50% in both forest types. The negative response of T. graeca to fire should be considered in conservation planning of this species in north-western Africa in a future scenario of changes in fire regime.
ISSN:	1932-6203 1932-6203