The study, which appears in the journal Science, demonstrates that as Indigenous populations grew in fire-prone southeastern Australia, the intensity of forest fires decreased over time.
Dr Simon Connor from ANU noted that better insights into the relationship between human activities and climate change - alongside a projected increase in the frequency and severity of forest fires - could lead to more effective forest conservation and management strategies in Australia.
"We often think about forests and woodlands in terms of trees, but this research shows that some of the biggest changes have happened not in the tree canopy but in the shrub layer. That's something we weren't expecting to find," said Dr Connor.
"Indigenous peoples have shaped Australian landscapes over tens of thousands of years. They did this through cultural practices. We need to keep that in mind when we're thinking of the best way to live in the Australian environment," he added.
The research team reconstructed ancient landscapes across southeastern Australia using tiny fossils found in ancient sediment to determine how the vegetation changed over time. Their focus was primarily on the shrub layer, as it plays a key role in allowing flames to reach the canopy and contribute to high intensity fires.
By comparing these findings with archaeological data, the researchers analyzed how human activities influenced the level of shrub cover in Australian landscapes over millennia.
Lead researcher Dr Michela Mariani, from the University of Nottingham, explained that the expansion of Indigenous populations and the increased use of cultural burning led to a 50 percent reduction in shrub cover, which subsequently led to a decline in high intensity fires.
"The shrub layer in forests can often act as ladders for wildfires to climb up to tree canopies and spread," Dr Mariani said. "Following British colonization and extensive fire suppression, shrub cover in Australia has increased to the highest levels ever recorded, significantly heightening the risk of future high intensity fires."
"Australia's fire crisis can be managed with the involvement of Indigenous practitioners in fire management. It's important to rekindle ancient cultural burning practices together with Traditional Owners to reduce the risk of catastrophic blazes," she added.
The research also included contributions from the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and the University of Tasmania.
Research Report:Shrub cover declined as Indigenous populations expanded across southeast Australia
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