Decline of eucalypt forests as a consequence of unnatural fire regimes

Summary

Fire was an integral part of the Australian environment before European settlement. The conventional view of fire as a ‘disturbance’, and the misconception that ‘natural succession’ occurs in the absence of ‘disturbance’ to eucalypt ecosystems, cause much confusion about eucalypt forest decline. Natural fire regimes stabilised eucalypt ecosystems so that they were self sustaining, whereas post-European interference has substantially changed the environment, initiating unnatural ecosystem processes. Eucalypts are declining whilst many of their arbivores and competitors are proliferating. The same types of changes have been reported in other parts of the world, especially North America. A more realistic approach to ecology can provide simple and operationally feasible solutions to eucalypt decline, but the confusion makes these solutions politically difficult.

Keywords:

• forest decline
• fire ecology
• succession
• Eucalyptus
• Australia