Sydney, Nov 14
Over half of Australia's animal and plant species experienced declines following the country's 2019-20 megafires, new research has found.
The new research, published by Melbourne's Deakin University in Nature, analysed the impact of the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires on 1,380 animal and plant species found in Australia, reports news agency.
It found that 55 per cent of the species declined following the fires - either because they were less abundant overall or occupied fewer sites.
The 2019-20 fires were among the worst in Australian history, burning an estimated 24.3 million hectares of land across the country - primarily on the east coast - and causing 34 deaths directly as well as hundreds more from smoke inhalation.
The new study found that mammals were disproportionately negatively affected by the fires, with average species declines twice as large as other animal groups.
However, the study also found that 44 per cent of the analysed species were more commonly found in the burnt sites following the fires, with their increases generally mirroring the size of declines in other species.
The report, which was compiled by over 100 scientists, called for a major rethink of Australia's current approach to fuel-reduction burning.
Prescribed burns are commonly carried out across Australia in the lead-up to bushfire season to reduce flammable materials that could fuel a fire, such as plants, fallen branches, logs, leaves and bark.