Habitat selection by Stone Partridge elucidates the ecological benefits of fire management in an Afro-tropical Sudan Savanna

Abstract

Abstract Background Fire is a key disturbance measure that drives community dynamics and ecosystem function. While natural resource managers have increasingly relied on fire as a management tool to conserve biodiversity in fire-prone systems, key gaps remain in our understanding of how fire frequencies and return intervals drive habitat selection and species persistence in tropical savannas. Here, we evaluated the mechanisms through which fire-created variability mediates habitat selection in a fire-prone Sudan savanna landscape. Using data from adult stone partridges fitted with radio-transmitters and monitored between November 2020 – July 2022, we assessed the role of fire frequency, fire intensity, and vegetation characteristics on space used by Stone Partridge (Ptilachapus petrosus) at two spatial extents. Results At a broad spatial extent, partridges appeared to select recently burnt areas up to 2 years post-fire treatment but decreased their selection as the severity of fires increased. Partridges tended to avoid taller woody vegetation that could serve as perches for aerial predators in favor of shrubs (< 1-m tall) with thicket understories that minimized predation risk. At a smaller spatial extent, partridges were inclined to select patches that experienced recent fires but maintained high tussock density coupled with litter cover. The relationship between Stone Partridge selection and grass height was inconclusive but suggested a possible reduction in usable space in patches where herbaceous vegetation exceeded 0.5-m. Conclusion Our results suggest that Afro-tropical savanna obligates like partridges are possibly adapted to frequently occurring low-intensity fires that promote diversity of herbaceous plants, remove non-native vegetation, and create pockets of refugia for native species to hide from predators. Consequently, reversing colonial fire suppression policies and adopting planned fire treatment as part of management efforts in the region could be key in improving habitat quality for ground-dwelling birds and other native species.