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Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
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  3. Application Of Remote Sensing To Understand The Role Of Galician Feral Horses In The Biomass Reduction Of A Shrub-grassland-dominated Landscape.
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  3. Application Of Remote Sensing To Understand The Role Of Galician Feral Horses In The Biomass Reduction Of A Shrub-grassland-dominated Landscape.

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Application of remote sensing to understand the role of Galician feral horses in the biomass reduction of a

Andrea Janeiro-Otero1, Xana Álvarez2, Carsten F Dormann3

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Feral horses in Galicia help prevent wildfires by reducing forest biomass. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing effectively maps biomass, aiding in wildfire risk assessment and management strategies.

Keywords:
DronesFire behaviourFire management; forest managementGalician feral horsesLivestock grazingWildfires

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Forestry
  • Remote Sensing

Background:

  • Galician forests face frequent, virulent wildfires exacerbated by climate change, posing significant environmental and economic risks.
  • Traditional fuel load reduction methods are costly; alternative, natural solutions are needed for effective wildfire prevention.
  • Gorse (Ulex europaeus) proliferation increases wildfire risk, necessitating management strategies to control fuel accumulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of feral horse grazing in reducing forest biomass and mitigating wildfire risk in Galicia.
  • To assess the utility of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing for mapping aboveground biomass and informing fire models.
  • To compare the surface rate of spread (SROS) in grazed versus ungrazed areas to quantify the impact of horse grazing on fire behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 100-ha fenced study area with endemic feral horses (Equus ferus atlanticus).
  • Established four 50 m² enclosed plots to exclude horses, creating grazed and ungrazed comparison areas.
  • Collected aboveground biomass data using UAV-based radar remote sensing from September 2018 to November 2020.
  • Input biomass and environmental data into a fire model to calculate SROS differences.

Main Results:

  • UAV remote sensing proved effective for mapping forest aboveground biomass at a low cost.
  • Ungrazed plots showed a small but consistent reduction in SROS (0.55–3.10 m/min) compared to grazed areas (15–25 m/min).
  • Feral horse grazing significantly impacted vegetation structure, contributing to wildfire prevention in gorse-dominated landscapes.

Conclusions:

  • Feral horses are a viable, natural tool for wildfire prevention in Galician gorse-dominated forests.
  • Radar remote sensing via UAVs offers a cost-effective method for monitoring forest biomass and assessing wildfire risk.
  • Integrating grazing management with remote sensing technology can enhance landscape fire management strategies.