UCLA

Many ecosystems, including California’s Mediterranean ecosystem, are fire-adapted. However, climate change and other anthropogenic effects are changing fire regimes, which may have implications for fire effects on natural ecosystems, including how wildlife recovers following fires. Although many studies have looked at the fire effects on vegetation, few have looked at mammal recovery, and fewer have investigated the compounding effects of an urbanized, fragmented habitat. We used camera traps and dynamic occupancy modeling to quantify medium to large mammals occurrence in the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills over time. We investigated how occupancy varies relative to whether a site was burned in the Woolsey Fire, the proximity of development, and the distance to the burn perimeter. Distribution relative to the burn area and urbanization were distinct to each target species, calling for equally distinct and likely multiple management practices to conserve these species.