Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0000-0861-8583

Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Elise Ferree

Reader 2

Marty Meyer

Abstract

As the frequency and intensity of wildfires increase in the Western United States, it is essential to understand avian recovery postfire. Avian response to fire is highly variable, depending on factors such as fire severity, vegetation, and the presence of unburned patches. Past studies have found unburned patches to be influential on postfire bird recovery, yet few studies focus on Southern California. This study aims to determine how the presence of an unburned patch affects species richness and avian community assemblage. The study was conducted in the burn scar of the 2024 Bridge Fire. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) was conducted from October 2025 to February 2026. Point counts were conducted in addition to PAM to supplement species richness data. The study found a significant difference in species richness between burned and unburned sites. Burned and unburned sites supported distinct avian assemblages, with an average dissimilarity between the groups of 80.11%. The wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) contributed the most to the total dissimilarity in assemblages between burned and unburned sites. Unburnt patches offer feeding resources supporting greater avian species richness and different avian assemblages than burned areas. The presence of unburned patches in recently burned areas can provide unique opportunities for the conservation of birds, as the habitat heterogeneity provided by the unburned patch can increase ecosystem resilience to future disturbances. Studying each unique postfire landscape mosaic can further inform postfire avian conservation efforts.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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