Effects of fire frequency on savanna butterfly diversity and composition: A preliminary study

Abstract

Fire is a frequent and widespread disturbance in many biomes (Pausas & Keeley 2009) and shapes landscapes by modifying vegetation structure and composition (Bond & Keeley 2005). The recent increase in large uncontrolled fire incidences (e.g. in the Western-Mediterranean basin; Pausas & Fernández-Muñoz 2012; and in the North American boreal region; Kasischke & Turetsky 2006) and predictions indicating that the frequency of high-intensity fires will increase in the future as a result of climate change (Pechony & Shindell 2010) have triggered growing concerns about the impacts of changes in long-term fire regimes. Fire management has become increasingly important as both human population densities and pressure to manage fuels for asset protection increase (Gill & Stephens 2009). In parallel, fire has also become one of the primary tools for biodiversity conservation (Andersen et al. 1998; Parr & Chown 2003). Yet, numerous knowledge gaps are still currently impeding informed decision-making in fire management (Driscoll et al. 2010).