Department of Biology

The fire ecology of grassy ecosystems

Dr. Kim Simpson

February 24, 2021
4-5pm

Hosted By Dr. Sally Koerner

There is a long and reciprocal relationship between fire and grasses. Fire has played a major role in the historical and contemporary success of the Poaceae (grass) family and grasses have, in turn, fueled the most frequent fire regimes on Earth. Here I’ll discuss the work I’ve done exploring the role of fire as an evolutionary pressure shaping the functional traits of grasses.