Dr Alfonsina Arriaga Jiménez1,2, Michael Hewins2, Cassio Alencar Nunes3, Nigel Andrew4

1Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Australia, 2University of New England, Armidale, Australia, 3Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, 4Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia

Biography:

Alfonsina Arriaga Jiménez is an entomologist and conservation biologist with a specialization in dung beetles, focusing on their biogeography, ecology, and behavior. She is passionately committed to conservation, serving as a member and focal point of the IUCN SSC Dung Beetle Specialist Group and contributing to the formation of an Australian Specialist Group. Alfonsina's interdisciplinary research includes ethnobiology, where she explores the connections between biodiversity and indigenous languages in collaboration with indigenous communities. Previously, she held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of New England, where she studied dung beetles and served as a lecturer in Entomology and Integrated Pest Management. Additionally, she was a member of Discovery Voyager, engaging in outreach projects with children in rural areas. Currently, Alfonsina is the Senior Curator of Natural Sciences at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG).

Abstract:

Our research was conducted following the 2019-2020 megafires in New South Wales (NSW) and aims to study the impacts of fire on native dung beetle communities within rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests in three national parks: Mount Hyland, New England, and Nymboi Binderay. Nine sites were selected using Fire Extent and Severity Mapping (FESM) to ensure uniformity in elevation and minimal vegetation and terrain alterations. Each site contained three 50×50 meter plots in both burned and unburned sections, with plots established to facilitate meaningful comparisons of fire-affected and unaffected areas.

In each plot, traps baited with kangaroo dung, mushrooms, and insect bait were placed at two corners of the plot and remained active for two consecutive 48-hour periods. Sampling was conducted at three distinct intervals: November and December 2021, and January 2022. The study aimed to understand the responses of beetle communities, focusing on abundance and richness across different size categories, wing presence, and functional groups.

Results indicated significant interactions between size and treatment, with small and large beetles exhibiting higher abundance and richness in unburnt areas, while medium beetles showed the opposite trend. Wing and treatment interactions revealed that flightless beetles had higher abundances in unburnt areas, whereas winged beetles maintained similar abundances in both burned and unburned areas, highlighting the greater impact of fire on flightless beetles. Furthermore, functional group and treatment interactions showed that tunnelers were more abundant in burnt areas, whereas dwellers and rollers preferred unburnt areas. These findings provide insights into the ecological consequences of megafires on beetle communities, emphasizing the varied responses based on beetle characteristics and functional roles.