Dr. Luke Kelly, Associate Professor in Quantitative Ecology at the University of Melbourne, joins us to discuss his research on fire and biodiversity in Australia, focusing on the diverse ecosystems, the challenges posed by changing fire regimes, and the role of grazing and invasive species. We explore the importance of understanding plant traits in relation to fire resilience and the ongoing biodiversity crisis, and how Australian fire science is working to address these issues. 

Resources:

Kelly, L. T., et al. (2023). Understanding fire regimes for a better Anthropocene. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 48(1).

Dr. Luke Kelly Email, Publications, Website

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Publications

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

We are joined by Dr. Adam Pellegrini, Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge, to better understand how ecosystems respond to global change. Dr. Pellegrini breaks down how fire maintains and affects carbon cycling and how these key processes shape ecosystems worldwide.

Dr. Adam Pellegrini @eco_pelle, Website, Academic Profile

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Kendall Calhoun of UCLA and UC Davis joins us to discuss the impact of megafires on wildlife communities. We delve into what defines a megafire, explore his research on wildlife and habitat responses to megafires, and discuss both the positive and negative effects of these events.

Resources:

• Calhoun, K. L., et al. (2024). Movement behavior in a dominant ungulate underlies successful adjustment to a rapidly changing landscape following megafire. Movement Ecology, 12(1), 53.

• Calhoun, K. L. et al. (2023). Mammalian resistance to megafire in western US woodland savannas. Ecosphere, 14(7), e4613.

• Calhoun, K. L. et al.  (2022). Spatial overlap of wildfire and biodiversity in California highlights gap in non‐conifer fire research and management. Diversity and Distributions, 28(3), 529-541.

• Kreling, S. E. et al.  (2021). Site fidelity and behavioral plasticity regulate an ungulate’s response to extreme disturbance. Ecology and Evolution, 11(22), 15683-15694.

Dr. Kendall Calhoun @kenleecalhoun, @kenleecalhoun,  Academic Profile

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

Check out the first annual Bobwhite Heritage Festival!  - Flyer & Facebook Event Page

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Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all.

This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.

For more information, follow UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Molly Hunter joins us to discuss her work with the Joint Fire Science Program and the Fire Science Exchange Network, two organizations established to support fireland science research, provide science-based decisions to managers, and foster collaboration between scientists and practitioners. We also discuss the importance of measuring outcomes and the roles that trust and collaboration play in successful fire science management.

Resources:

• Joint Fire Science Program

• Fire Science Exchange Network

• Hunter, M. E. (2016). Outcomes of fire research: is science used?. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25(5), 495-504.

• Hunter, M. E., et al. (2020). The use of science in wildland fire management: a review of barriers and facilitators. Current Forestry Reports, 6, 354-367.

Dr. Molly Hunter Academic Profile

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Kim Sash, the Biological Monitoring Coordinator for Tall Timbers Research Station, joins us to shed light on how fire shapes reptilian and amphibian habitat, the challenges of applying fire regimes to wetland management, and how fire is used to help conserve these fascinating creatures.

Resources:

• Bailey, M. A., et al. (2006). Habitat management guidelines for amphibians and reptiles of the southeastern United States. Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Technical Publication HMG-2, Montgomery, Alabama, 88.

Kim Sash Contact, Tall Timbers

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Ben Sikes, Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology at the University of Kansas, joins us to shed light on the fascinating relationships between fungi and fire. Learn of the interconnection between plants created by mycorrhizal networks (AKA the “wood wide web”), how fire regimes drive changes in fungal communities, the mechanisms of carrying out fungal research, and much more.

• Bond, W. J., & Keeley, J. E. (2005). Fire as a global ‘herbivore’: the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems. Trends in ecology & evolution, 20(7), 387-394.

• Hopkins, J. R., et al. (2021). Fungal community structure and seasonal trajectories respond similarly to fire across pyrophilic ecosystems. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 97(1), fiaa219.

• Hopkins, J. R., et al. (2020). Frequent fire slows microbial decomposition of newly deposited fine fuels in a pyrophilic ecosystem. Oecologia, 193, 631-643.

• Hansen, P. M., et al. (2019). Recurrent fires do not affect the abundance of soil fungi in a frequently burned pine savanna. Fungal ecology, 42, 100852.

• Fox, S., et al. (2022). Fire as a driver of fungal diversity—A synthesis of current knowledge. Mycologia, 114(2), 215-241.

• Dao, V. Q., et al. (2022). Substrate and low intensity fires influence bacterial communities in longleaf pine savanna. Scientific reports, 12(1), 20904.

Dr. Ben Sikes Contact/Website, Academic Profile

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

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Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science!

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This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.

For more information, follow UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Carolina and Marcus sit down with Ciera Rhodes of Quail Forever to discuss the importance of using fire when managing for gamebirds, programs and agencies available to assist landowners with management practices and funding, and best fire practices for maximizing quail on your property.

Resources:

• NRCS

• EQIP

• Quail Forever

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Anthony Taylor, Associate Professor of Forest Management at the University of New Brunswick, joins Carolina to discuss the Canadian wildfires, the implications of climate change on our ecological and human communities, and what tools can help mitigate these effects moving forward.

Resources:

• Wang, J., Taylor, A. R., & D’Orangeville, L. (2023). Warming-induced tree growth may help offset increasing disturbance across the Canadian boreal forest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(2), e2212780120.

Dr. Anthony Taylor (website) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

Dr. Istvan Kereszy joins Marcus and Carolina to discuss his company: Fire Neural Network. Learn how artificial intelligence is used to detect high-risk lightning, how it is currently being applied to fight wildfires across the globe, and how we can continue to benefit from this technology moving forward.

Dr. Istvan Kereszy  ([email protected])

Fire Neural Network (https://www.fireneuralnetwork.com/)

UF Article (https://news.ufl.edu/2023/04/fire-neural-network/)

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

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This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

We welcome Dr. Carolina Baruzzi, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology & Management at the University of Florida, who joins Marcus as our new co-host of Fire University! Hear about their previous work together, Dr. Baruzzi’s research interests, and their ideas for the series moving forward. 

Resources from the episode:

• Baruzzi, C., et al. "The pyrogenic bunchgrass Aristida beyrichiana is negatively affected by soil biota when planted outside of its home soil." Plant and Soil (2022): 1-10.

• Nichols, Rainer A., et al. "Alter fire timing to recouple forage nutrients with herbivore nutrient demands." Forest Ecology and Management 500 (2021): 119646.

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi (wildlandmgmt) (Academic Profile)

Dr. Marcus Lashley (DrDisturbance) (Academic Profile)

Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here)

Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science!

Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all.

This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort.

For more information, follow UF DEER Lab on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

Music by Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak