Projects in this research theme will focus on determining the flammability of a spectrum of native and non-native plant species in Tasmania and the potential causes of intraspecies variability, such as seasonal (phenological), ecotypic, and environmental factors. An additional component of this theme is understanding the flammability or organic soils which support nearly all the vegetation in the Tasmanian Wilderness World heritage Area.
The flammability of plant species exerts a powerful influence on the ability to control bushfires. For instance, eucalypts are inherently more flammable than many rainforest trees, and fires in eucalypt forests are typically more intense and difficult to control. However, until recently objective assessments of plant flammability have been limited given the difficulty in making consistent flammability measurements.
This study will seek to quantify plant species flammability under different conditions by using a specially designed and built ‘plant BBQ’ apparatus, which is a key component of the newly built Firelab3 facility, and enables rapid assessment of foliage flammability, thus contributing to improved fire management. The Firelab3 facility can also be used to undertake experiments on the flammability of organic soils.
Supervisors
David Bowman, Stefania Ondei, Grant Williamson and Lynda Prior
