Melbourne School of Land and Environment Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science

Anne Miehs

Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science
The University of Melbourne, Creswick Campus
Water Street, Creswick, VIC 3363, Australia
Email:a.miehs@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au

Degree

PhD

Thesis title

The role of coarse woody debris in the fire-prone stringybark woodlands of south-west Victoria: Achieving both fire management and biodiversity conservation objectives.

Supervisors

Dr Alan York
Dr Tina Bell
Dr Kevin Tolhurst

Research Group

Fire Ecology and Management Group

Project Description

Fallen logs (also known as coarse woody debris: CWD or heavy fuel) play an important role in biodiversity conservation. They provide breeding, hibernation, feeding and basking sites for an array of fauna including mammals, reptiles, frogs and invertebrates. Logs also function as critical refuges during forest fires and provide remnant islands from which fauna and flora can recolonise areas post fire.

A large body of research has been conducted on the role of CWD and its appropriate management in North American and European forest ecosystems. Few investigations have been conducted in Australia, despite its importance to ecosystem function and ecologically sustainable forest management. Little is known about associations between Australian fauna and fallen timber.

Prescribed burning is used in Victoria as a fire protection measure and as a tool to conserve fauna and flora. Little is known about the impacts of prescribed burning on logs and their associated biodiversity.

Therefore the main objectives of this study are:

  1. To determine the impact of fire frequency on the abundance, distribution and composition of CWD.
  2. To examine the associations of vertebrates (mammals, reptiles and frogs) and selected invertebrates with CWD.
  3. To determine the impact of fire frequency on CWD associated fauna.

 

Publications relevant to PhD:

Miehs, A., York, A., Bell, T. and Tolhurst, K. (2008) Do repeated fires negatively impact on fauna associated with coarse woody debris? A case study from south-western Victoria. Bushfire CRC/AFAC Conference, Adelaide (Poster).

Miehs, A., York, A., Bell, T. and Tolhurst, K. (2007) Does fire create or destroy fauna habitat? The impact of fire on CWD (coarse woody debris). Bushfire CRC/AFAC Conference, Hobart (Poster).

York, A., Bell, T., Tolhurst, K., Ashton, A., Miehs, A. and Duff, T. (2006) Ecological burning: can we achieve both fuel management and conservation objectives? Bushfire CRC. Second Fire Managers Research Workshop Wollongong 2006 (Poster).

 

Other Publications:

Bulbert, M., Rowley, J. and Miehs, A. (2005) Observed agonistic behaviour between male giant banjo frogs Limnodynastes interioris. Herpetofauna 35(2): 78 – 82.

Miehs, A., Penman, T.D. and Pyke, G.H. (2006) A note on the diet of the Striped Marsh Frog Limnodynastes peronii in the Sydney Basin Bioregion. Herpetofauna 36 (1): 39-41.

Miehs, A. and Pyke, G.H. (2001) Observations on the foraging behaviour of adult Green and Golden Bell Frogs (Litoria aurea). Herpetofauna 31 (2): 94 – 96.

Miehs, A. and Nekaris, K.A.I (2005) A comparison of the captive behaviour and exhibit use of the Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) and pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) at London Zoo. Proceedings from the Australasian Primate Society 23rd Annual Conference. Naked Apes-Hairy Apes: Is there a difference? March 12th and 13th. South Australian Museum, Adelaide (Abstract).

Pyke, G.H. and Miehs, A. (2001) Predation by Water skinks (Eulamprus quoyi) on tadpoles and metamorphs of the Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea). Herpetofauna 31(2): 99 – 101.

Pyke, G.H. and Miehs, A. (2004) Effects of stomach flushing on recapture rates for Litoria aurea and Limnodynastes peronii. Herpetofauna 34(2): 81-83.

Rowley, J.L., Bulbert, M. and Miehs, A. (2005) Observations of calling and breeding of frogs in Central Western New South Wales. Herpetofauna 35(1): 25-29.

 

Qualifications:

MSc Primate Conservation. Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom

Dissertation title: “A comparison of the captive behavior of the Bengal slow and pygmy loris (Nycticebus bengalensis and Nycticebus pygmaeus).”

BSc (Hons). Zoology Major. University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Honours thesis title: “Dietary patterns and prey selection in the green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) and the striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii).”

 

 

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