Dispersal and spatial population dynamics of threatened mammals in fire-prone landscapes

The Australian continent has the highest rate of mammal extinction on Earth. Research has identified the critical threats that interact to drive the decline of northern mammals: altered fire regimes, feral cats and grazing by introduced herbivores. Across such large landscapes, the control of cats and reduction of herbivore damage remains difficult and expensive. Fire, however, can be managed on a landscape scale, potentially improving conservation outcomes. To manage fire for the conservation of declining mammals, we first need a better
understanding of how fire impacts mammal populations. My PhD will explore some of the key knowledge gaps around how spatial patterns of fire relate to mechanisms of dispersal, survival and recolonisation dynamics that underpin the decline of mammals across northern Australia.