Natural wildfire regimes are important for ecosystem succession but can have negative ecological effects depending on fire characteristics. A portion of a granite rock barrens landscape that extends along the eastern shoreline of Georgian Bay, Lake Huron to eastern Ontario, Canada, burned in 2018 during a wildfire that affected >11,000 ha. This landscape is a biodiversity hotspot providing habitat for many species at risk where freshwater turtles nest in soil deposits in cracks and crevices in the bedrock dominated by moss (Polytrichum spp.) and lichen (Cladonia spp.) cover. To assess the initial effect of wildfire on freshwater turtle nesting habitat, we measured soil depths and estimated moss, lichen, and vascular plant cover at 2 morphology types (crevice, flat) in burned and unburned areas of the landscape. The probability that burned flat plots supported soil was near zero; the burned flat plots had 98% less soil volume compared to unburned flat plots. Although crevices were more resistant to soil loss, burned crevices still had a 15% lower probability of having soil and 35% less soil volume compared to unburned crevice plots. We estimated nest site availability by calculating the number of locations with shallow (5–10 cm), intermediate (10–20 cm), and deep (>20 cm) soils required for a small (5 cm × 5 cm) or medium (10 cm × 10 cm) nest chamber. Overall, the burned open rock barrens had 71–73% fewer sites with suitable soil depth and volume for a nest chamber of either size. Furthermore, burned plots had almost no lichen and moss cover but were dominated by bare soil, forbs, and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings. Although the loss of tree cover in previously forested areas may increase nest site availability for freshwater turtles in newly open areas, we suggest that organic soil combustion and soil erosion may require restoration activities in the post‐fire landscape to support successful nesting of at‐risk turtles. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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野火对淡水龟筑巢栖息地的初步影响

自然野火制度对于生态系统演替很重要，但根据火的特性可能会产生负面的生态影响。花岗岩岩石贫瘠景观的一部分沿休伦湖格鲁吉亚湾东部海岸线延伸至加拿大安大略省东部，该区域在2018年的一场山火中烧毁，影响面积超过11,000公顷。该景观是生物多样性的热点地区，为许多濒危物种提供了栖息地，其中淡水龟筑巢在土壤中的苔藓（Polytrichum spp。）和地衣（Cladonia）支配的裂缝和缝隙中spp。）封面。为了评估野火对淡水龟筑巢栖息地的初步影响，我们测量了土壤深度，并估计了景观的燃烧和未燃烧区域的两种形态类型（缝隙，平坦）的苔藓，地衣和维管植物覆盖率。燃烧平坦土地支持土壤的可能性接近于零；与未燃烧的平地相比，燃烧的平地的土壤量减少了98％。尽管缝隙对土壤流失的抵抗力更高，但是与未燃烧的缝隙地块相比，燃烧的缝隙仍然比土壤低15％，土壤体积少35％。我们通过计算小型（5 cm×5 cm）或中等（5 cm×5 cm）所需的浅层土壤（5–10 cm），中层土壤（10–20 cm）和深层土壤（> 20 cm）的位置数来估计巢点的可用性。 10厘米×10厘米）的巢室。总体，对于任何大小的巢室，在合适的土壤深度和体积下，被烧开的裸岩贫瘠土地减少了71-73％。此外，被烧毁的地块几乎没有地衣和苔藓覆盖，但主要是裸露的土壤，草和杰克松（松（Pinus bankiana）幼苗。尽管先前森林覆盖地区的树木覆盖率的丧失可能会增加新开放区域中淡水龟的巢穴可用性，但我们建议有机土壤燃烧和土壤侵蚀可能需要在火灾后的景观中进行恢复活动，以支持高风险的巢穴海龟。©2020野生动物协会。