Abstract:
Our study aimed to identify the broad effects of native fossorial species on leaf litter, and make
inferences about their mechanistic influence on fire behavior using simulation models (Hayward et al.,
2016). This conceptual link has long been hypothesized, but here we present empirical evidence to
support it; our results suggest that native fossorial mammals have fire-suppressive effects because
their activity results in higher levels of litter decomposition, and a reduced fuel load across the
landscape. The expert commentaries build on this study and raise pertinent points for further
consideration.
