Abstract
Abstract Fire is a widespread management practice used in the maintenance of European heathland. Frequent prescribed burns in small patches have been shown to benefit carabid communities; however, how fire favours specific life‐history traits is poorly understood. In this study, we identify characteristic species of the successional stages within heathlands, and find the traits which are characteristic of species in burnt areas versus areas dominated by older heath stands. We identify 10 species as indicator species for heathland in the pioneer stage (0–5 years old); Amara lunicollis, Bembidion lampros, Calathus fuscipes, Carabus problematicus, Cicindela campestris, Nebria salina, Notiophilus aquaticus, Poecilus cupreus, P. lepidus and P. versicolor. Dyschirius globosus is identified as an indicator for the building stage (6–14 years old), and Carabus violaceus as an indicator for the mature stage (15–25 years old). Moisture preference and diet are identified as traits that determine species response to prescribed fire. Collembolan specialists and species with no moisture preference are shown to be most abundant in burnt patches, whereas generalist predators and species with a high moisture preference are less tolerant of fire. Knowledge of species sorting along a prescribed fire gradient can provide valuable information for heathland conservation.
Highlights
The use of fire has a long history as a management tool in European heathlands (Mallik & Gimingham, 1983; Kaland, 1986; Webb, 1998)
This study focuses on carabid beetles, which are often used as indicator species, in part due to their well-known taxonomy, habitat requirements and life-history characteristics
Ten carabid species were indicative of heath burnt (a) between zero and 5 years ago, and two species were associated with longer times since prescribed burning
Summary
The use of fire has a long history as a management tool in European heathlands (Mallik & Gimingham, 1983; Kaland, 1986; Webb, 1998). (Mallik & Gimingham, 1983). This can result in a more bio-diverse landscape, if fires are controlled in such a way that they create a mosaic of heath of different ages (Vandvik et al, 2005; Bargmann et al, 2015). Due to its widespread usage and important role in determining plant and animal assemblages, the effects of prescribed burning are of considerable interest to heathland managers and scientists alike. There is extensive literature that focuses on the response of heathland plants to prescribed burning
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