Mauritius on fire: Tracking historical human impacts on biodiversity loss. (8th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gosling, William D.; de Kruif, Jona; Norder, Sietze J.; de Boer, Erik J.; Hooghiemstra, Henry; Rijsdijk, Kenneth F.; McMichael, Crystal N. H.
• Is Part Of: Biotropica. Volume 49:Number 6(2017)
• Page Start: 778
• Page End: 783
• Publication Date: 2017-10-08
• Subjects: Anthropocene -- charcoal -- Dodo -- ecosystem degradation -- extinction -- habitat degradation -- introduced species -- islands -- Mare Tatos -- sub‐tropical; Biotic communities -- Tropics -- Periodicals; Applied ecology -- Tropics -- Periodicals; Biology -- Tropics -- Periodicals; 577.80913
• DOI: 10.1111/btp.12490
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3606

Abstract

Abstract: Fire was rare on Mauritius prior to human arrival (AD 1598); subsequently three phases of elevated fire activity occurred: ca 1630–1747, 1787–1833, and 1950–modern. Elevated fire frequency coincided with periods of high human impact evidenced from the historical record, and is linked to the extinction of island endemics.