Projects in this research theme will document how Tasmanian plant species recover from different fire severities, intensities, and frequencies. The ability to recover from a fire is a key trait plant species require to survive in fire-prone landscapes.
Recent changes in fire regimes, however, have led to increased fire activity in areas where fire was historically absent and where consequently vegetation did not evolve to withstand that type of disturbance (Gondwanan vegetation). As climate changes increase the likelihood of potentially devastating fires in such areas, it is critical to understand the degree to which species will recover and identify the modes of recovery.
In collaboration with Natural Resource and Environment Tasmania, field surveys and burning experiments in the Firelab3 facility will be conducted to understand of the tolerance of different Tasmanian plant species to changing fire regimes. Field surveys will also gauge the effect of herbivores on post-fire recovery. This research theme will identify vulnerability of different Tasmanian plant communities to changing fire regimes, and post-fire herbivore pressure.
Supervisors:
David Bowman, Lynda Prior and Stefania Ondei with Industry collaborator Steve Leonard (Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania)
