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Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems pp 490–505Cite as

Animal Demography in Relation to Fire and Shortage of Food: Some Indicative Models

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Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 43))

Abstract

Animals of mediterranean-type ecosystems respond to the incidence per se of fire and to fire regime, just as in other ecosystem types. However, the effects of fire on quality and quantity of food and on other habitat factors can be complex and thus, faunal responses can vary strongly (Bendell 1974; Wirtz 1977). For example, numbers of black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) in California (Taber and Dasmann 1957) were not always obviously related to the fire history or to the resulting changes in food or shelter. Bendell (1974) considered that the abundance of wildlife on burnt areas was set by the amount of nutrient released as expressed in the quality of food. However, although there is good evidence for an increase in the quantity of post-fire food for deer in North America, there is scant evidence, if any, for consequent improvement in quality of browse (Bendell 1974). Levels of protein, but not of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, may have increased but only by 1–2%.

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Authors
  1. A. E. Newsome
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  2. P. C. Catling
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment Affairs and Fisheries, South African Forestry Research Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Frederick J. Kruger

  2. Department of Botany, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

    Derek T. Mitchell

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

    Jennifer U. M. Jarvis

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© 1983 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

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Newsome, A.E., Catling, P.C. (1983). Animal Demography in Relation to Fire and Shortage of Food: Some Indicative Models. In: Kruger, F.J., Mitchell, D.T., Jarvis, J.U.M. (eds) Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, vol 43. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68935-2_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68935-2_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-68937-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68935-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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