The impact of fire on habitat use by the short-snouted elephant shrew ('Elephantulus brachyrhynchus') in North West Province, South Africa

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Yarnell, R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6584-7374, Metcalfe, D, Dunstone, N, Burnside, N and Scott, D, 2008. The impact of fire on habitat use by the short-snouted elephant shrew ('Elephantulus brachyrhynchus') in North West Province, South Africa. African Zoology, 43 (1), pp. 45-52.

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Abstract

Several studies have investigated the response of small mammal populations to fire, but few have investigated behavioural responses to habitat modification. In this study we investigated the impact of fire on home range, habitat use and activity patterns of the short-snouted elephant shrew (Elephantulus brachyrhynchus) by radio-tracking individuals before and after a fire event. All animals survived the passage of fire in termite mound refugia. Before the fire, grassland was used more than thickets, but habitat utilization shifted to thickets after fire had removed the grass cover. Thickets were an important refuge both pre- and post-fire, but the proportion of thicket within the home range was greater post-fire. We conclude that fire-induced habitat modification resulted in a restriction of E. brachyrhynchus movements to patches of unburned vegetation. This may be a behavioural response to an increase in predation pressure associated with a reduction in cover, rather than a lack of food. This study highlights the importance of considering the landscape mosaic in fire management and allowing sufficient island patches to remain post-fire ensures the persistence of the small mammal fauna.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	African Zoology
Creators:	Yarnell, R., Metcalfe, D., Dunstone, N., Burnside, N. and Scott, D.
Publisher:	SA Publications
Date:	2008
Volume:	43
Number:	1
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.3377/1562-7020(2008)43[45:TIOFOH]2.0.CO;2 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 10:03
Last Modified:	09 Jun 2017 13:17
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/6966