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Dive into the research topics where Lisa M. Spence-Bailey is active.

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Featured researches published by Lisa M. Spence-Bailey.


Australian Journal of Botany | 2010

Ageing mallee eucalypt vegetation after fire: insights for successional trajectories in semi-arid mallee ecosystems

Michael F. Clarke; Sarah C. Avitabile; Lauren Brown; Kate E. Callister; Angie Haslem; Greg J. Holland; Luke T. Kelly; Sally A. Kenny; Dale G. Nimmo; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Rick S. Taylor; Simon J. Watson; Andrew F. Bennett

A critical requirement in the ecological management of fire is knowledge of the age-class distribution of the vegetation. Such knowledge is important because it underpins the distribution of ecological features important to plants and animals including retreat sites, food sources and foraging microhabitats. However, in many regions, knowledge of the age-class distribution of vegetation is severely constrained by the limited data available on fire history. Much fire-history mapping is restricted to post-1972 fires, following satellite imagery becoming widely available. To investigate fire history in the semi-arid Murray Mallee region in southern Australia, we developed regression models for six species of mallee eucalypt (Eucalyptus oleosa F.Muell. ex. Miq. subsp. oleosa, E. leptophylla F.Muell. ex. Miq., E. dumosa J. Oxley, E. costata subsp. murrayana L. A. S. Johnson & K. D. Hill, E. gracilis F.Muell. and E. socialis F.Muell. ex. Miq.) to quantify the relationship between mean stem diameter and stem age (indicated by fire-year) at sites of known time since fire. We then used these models to predict mean stem age, and thus infer fire-year, for sites where the time since fire was not known. Validation of the models with independent data revealed a highly significant correlation between the actual and predicted time since fire (r = 0.71, P  35 years since fire). Nevertheless, this approach enables examination of post-fire chronosequences in semi-arid mallee ecosystems to be extended from 35 years post-fire to over 100 years. The predicted ages identified for mallee stands imply a need for redefining what is meant by ‘old-growth’ mallee, and challenges current perceptions of an over-abundance of ‘long-unburnt’ mallee vegetation. Given the strong influence of fire on semi-arid mallee vegetation, this approach offers the potential for a better understanding of long-term successional dynamics and the status of biota in an ecosystem that encompasses more than 250 000 km2 of southern Australia.


Conservation Biology | 2013

Fire Mosaics and Reptile Conservation in a Fire-Prone Region

Dale G. Nimmo; Luke T. Kelly; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Simon J. Watson; Rick S. Taylor; Michael F. Clarke; Andrew F. Bennett

Fire influences the distribution of fauna in terrestrial biomes throughout the world. Use of fire to achieve a mosaic of vegetation in different stages of succession after burning (i.e., patch-mosaic burning) is a dominant conservation practice in many regions. Despite this, knowledge of how the spatial attributes of vegetation mosaics created by fire affect fauna is extremely scarce, and it is unclear what kind of mosaic land managers should aim to achieve. We selected 28 landscapes (each 12.6 km(2) ) that varied in the spatial extent and diversity of vegetation succession after fire in a 104,000 km(2) area in the semiarid region of southeastern Australia. We surveyed for reptiles at 280 sites nested within the 28 landscapes. The landscape-level occurrence of 9 of the 22 species modeled was associated with the spatial extent of vegetation age classes created by fire. Biogeographic context and the extent of a vegetation type influenced 7 and 4 species, respectively. No species were associated with the diversity of vegetation ages within a landscape. Negative relations between reptile occurrence and both extent of recently burned vegetation (≤10 years postfire, n = 6) and long unburned vegetation (>35 years postfire, n = 4) suggested that a coarse-grained mosaic of areas (e.g. >1000 ha) of midsuccessional vegetation (11-35 years postfire) may support the fire-sensitive reptile species we modeled. This age class coincides with a peak in spinifex cover, a keystone structure for reptiles in semiarid and arid Australia. Maintaining over the long term a coarse-grained mosaic of large areas of midsuccessional vegetation in mallee ecosystems will need to be balanced against the short-term negative effects of large fires on many reptile species and a documented preference by species from other taxonomic groups, particularly birds, for older vegetation.


Wildlife Research | 2010

The short-term responses of small mammals to wildfire in semiarid mallee shrubland, Australia

Luke T. Kelly; Dale G. Nimmo; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Michael F. Clarke; Andrew F. Bennett

Context. Wildfire is a major driver of the structure and function of mallee eucalypt- and spinifex-dominated landscapes. Understanding how fire influences the distribution of biota in these fire-prone environments is essential for effective ecological and conservation-based management. Aims. We aimed to (1) determine the effects of an extensive wildfire (118 000 ha) on a small mammal community in the mallee shrublands of semiarid Australia and (2) assess the hypothesis that the fire-response patterns of small mammals can be predicted by their life-history characteristics. Methods. Small-mammal surveys were undertaken concurrently at 26 sites: once before the fire and on four occasions following the fire (including 14 sites that remained unburnt). We documented changes in small-mammal occurrence before and after the fire, and compared burnt and unburnt sites. In addition, key components of vegetation structure were assessed at each site. Key results. Wildfire had a strong influence on vegetation structure and on the occurrence of small mammals. The mallee ningaui, Ningaui yvonneae, a dasyurid marsupial, showed a marked decline in the immediate post-fire environment, corresponding with a reduction in hummock-grass cover in recently burnt vegetation. Species richness of native small mammals was positively associated with unburnt vegetation, although some species showed no clear response to wildfire. Conclusions. Our results are consistent with the contention that mammal responses to fire are associated with their known life-history traits. The species most strongly affected by wildfire, N. yvonneae, has the most specific habitat requirements and restricted life history of the small mammals in the study area. The only species positively associated with recently burnt vegetation, the introduced house mouse, Mus domesticus, has a flexible life history and non-specialised resource requirements. Implications. Maintaining sources for recolonisation after large-scale wildfires will be vital to the conservation of native small mammals in mallee ecosystems.


Wildlife Research | 2010

Maximising trapping efficiency in reptile surveys: the role of seasonality, weather conditions and moon phase on capture success

Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Dale G. Nimmo; Luke T. Kelly; Andrew F. Bennett; Michael F. Clarke

Context. Designing an appropriate survey protocol requires understanding of how capture rates of target species may be influenced by factors other than on-ground abundance, such as weather conditions or seasonality. This is particularly relevant for ectotherms such as reptiles, as activity can be affected by environmental conditions such as ambient temperature. Aims. The present study examines factors affecting capture success of reptiles in semi-arid environments of southern Australia, and addresses the following two main questions: (1) what is the influence of weather and seasonal factors on capture rates of reptiles, and (2) what are the implications for developing an effective protocol for reptile surveys? Methods. We surveyed reptiles using pitfall traps in spring and summer of 2006/07 and 2007/08 at sites (n = 280) throughout the Murray Mallee region of south-eastern Australia. We used mixed-effect regression models to investigate the influence of seasonal and weather-related variables on species’ capture success. Key results. Total captures of reptiles, and the likelihood of capture of 15 reptile species, increased with rising daily temperature. Greater numbers of individual species were captured during spring than in summer, even though temperatures were cooler. This probably reflects greater levels of activity associated with breeding. Several species were more likely to be captured when maximum or minimum daily temperatures exceeded a certain level (e.g. Lerista labialis, Delma australis, Nephrurus levis). Other factors, such as rainfall and moon phase, also influenced capture success of some species. Conclusions. Surveys for reptiles in semi-arid environments are likely to capture the greatest diversity of species on warm days in late spring months, although surveys on hot days in summer will enhance detection of particular species (e.g. Morethia boulengeri, Varanus gouldii). We recommend trapping during periods with maximum temperatures exceeding 25–30°C and minimum overnight temperatures of 15°C. Finally, trapping during rainfall and full-moon events will maximise chances of encountering species sensitive to these variables (blind snakes and geckoes). Implications. Selecting the most favourable seasonal and weather conditions will help ensure that reptile surveys maximise the likelihood of capturing the greatest diversity of reptiles, while minimising trap-effort required.


Journal of Applied Ecology | 2011

Habitat or fuel? Implications of long‐term, post‐fire dynamics for the development of key resources for fauna and fire

Angie Haslem; Luke T. Kelly; Dale G. Nimmo; Simon J. Watson; Sally A. Kenny; Rick S. Taylor; Sarah C. Avitabile; Kate E. Callister; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Michael F. Clarke; Andrew F. Bennett


Journal of Applied Ecology | 2012

Managing fire mosaics for small mammal conservation: a landscape perspective

Luke T. Kelly; Dale G. Nimmo; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Rick S. Taylor; Simon J. Watson; Michael F. Clarke; Andrew F. Bennett


Diversity and Distributions | 2011

Influence of fire history on small mammal distributions: insights from a 100‐year post‐fire chronosequence

Luke T. Kelly; Dale G. Nimmo; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Angie Haslem; Simon J. Watson; Michael F. Clarke; Andrew F. Bennett


Global Ecology and Biogeography | 2012

Predicting the century‐long post‐fire responses of reptiles

Dale G. Nimmo; Luke T. Kelly; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Simon J. Watson; Angie Haslem; John G. White; Michael F. Clarke; Andrew F. Bennett


Landscape and Urban Planning | 2013

Systematic fire mapping is critical for fire ecology, planning and management: A case study in the semi-arid Murray Mallee, south-eastern Australia

Sarah C. Avitabile; Kate E. Callister; Luke T. Kelly; Angie Haslem; Lauren Fraser; Dale G. Nimmo; Simon J. Watson; Sally A. Kenny; Rick S. Taylor; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Andrew F. Bennett; Michael F. Clarke


Biological Conservation | 2012

Time-since-fire and inter-fire interval influence hollow availability for fauna in a fire-prone system

Angie Haslem; Sarah C. Avitabile; Rick S. Taylor; Luke T. Kelly; Simon J. Watson; Dale G. Nimmo; Sally A. Kenny; Kate E. Callister; Lisa M. Spence-Bailey; Andrew F. Bennett; Michael F. Clarke

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Dale G. Nimmo

Charles Sturt University

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